The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja has said that it generated a revenue of over N83 million through documentary checks and issuance of demand notices on consignment in January this year.
In a chat with newsmen in Lagos, the Comptroller, FOU Zone A, Hussein Ejibunu said the unit renewed its fight against smuggling, activated an enhanced intelligence gathering and information sharing mechanism, “and were able to identify some new smuggling hot spots and schemes employed by smugglers.”
According to him, the strategy yielded 60 seizures worth a total duty paid value of N854.15 million adding that the following major seizures were recorded within January 2024.
He said, “Some of the seizures include, 3,653 X 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 6.5 trailer loads), 23,025 litres of PMS, 241 bales of used clothes, 1,490 kg of Indian Hemp, 1,220 cartons of foreign tomato paste, 983 pieces of used tyres, 104 units of Haojuo motorcycles, 556 cartons of slippers and 11 units of used vehicles.”
He added that the status of these goods was found to have contravened different sections of the Customs Act (2023), while some were expired at the time of importation; others flaunted the import statutory guidelines, while noting that a total of ten suspects were arrested in connection with some of the goods.
He commended the officers and men of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, for their hard work and dedication to duty, and other security agencies for their coordinated efforts, support and cooperation towards some of the successes recorded by the Unit in the preceding year, 2023.
“In a like manner, I also appreciate the patriotism of compliant importers, exporters and agents for their compliance with the Service’s extant procedures and regulations; I urge you to keep it up,” Ejibunu said.
He pointed out that smuggling is a crime that has to do with; the act of false declaration and concealment of goods, the use of unapproved routes and ports for the exportation or importation of goods, forging of Customs documents, willful under-payment of Customs duties, and trafficking in prohibited or restricted goods among others.
