Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS,
has impounded smuggled goods and collected additional revenue from under-valued
duty worth over N2.5 billion in six months.
With the various seized smuggled items with Duty Paid Value, DPV,
of N1,295,600,724.95 and N1,286,730,671.90
collected from duty payments and demand notices on general goods that tried to
beat the system from seaports, airport and border stations brought the
cumulative figure to N2,582,331,396.9.
The importers of these items tried to beat the system through wrong
classification, transfer of value, and short-change in duty payment that are
meant for the government.
Public Relations Officer of the Unit, Jerry Attah in a statement on
behalf of the Comptroller, Mohammed Uba Garba, noted that 95 suspects were
arrested in connection with these seizures while 475 different
seizures were recorded. The seizures comprising foreign parboiled rice, frozen
poultry products, vegetable oil, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp, arms, fake
pharmaceutical/medicaments and various merchandise during the period under
review, he noted.
The image maker said that the Customs Area Controller, CAC, commanded
the Service’ management’s for recognizing hard work and
putting square pegs in square holes which resulted in the achievements of the
Command.
He said the Customs boss also commended the commitment
and diligence of the officers and men of the Unit for thwarting the antics of
smugglers who used different methods for concealment.
He charged officers of the unit to be professional and
diligent in performing their statutory responsibilities; most especially in the
area of anti-smuggling operations by making sure all revenue linkages are
blocked.
He called for partnership of all stakeholders in the fight against
smuggling because of the effect on society and the economy in general.
Comptroller Mohammed Uba added that smuggling is a global phenomenon,
which cannot be curbed entirely but can be brought to its barest minimum. This
feat was not unconnected with the courtesy calls he paid to some key
stakeholders most especially sister security agencies within our areas of
jurisdiction comprising the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division,
Nigerian Army, Lagos; Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Cantonment Ikeja;
Commander, 35 Artillery, Nigerian Army, Alamala Baracks Abeokuta, Ogun State;
Commissioners of Police, Ogun and Lagos State where he seeks for their
continuous support and cooperation towards winning the war against smuggling.
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