The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, Owerri has recorded a total of 231 seizures of contraband goods with an overall duty paid value (DPV) of N1,957,529,375 in the third quarter of the year.
The record of the zone within the period under review differs significantly from the one it recorded in the same period in 2015. It is on record that it made 379 seizures with a DPV of N224, 245, 797 in the same period last year.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), NCS, FOU, Zone C, Comptroller Haruna Mamudu who disclosed this in a statement said N548, 700, 997 was recovered this year which amounted to an increase in the percentage of revenue generated by the NCS in contrast to the N105,207,807 underpayment recovered in the year 2015.
Signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the unit, Ifeoma O. Onuigbo, the statement quoted Haruna saying that no fewer than 22 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures which were impounded on the Benin axis, Asaba-Agbor-Onitsha Expressway, Calabar, Enugu, Owerri and Port-Harcourt axis of the South-south and South -East zones of the federation just as 16 cases are pending in court.
The CAC stressed that the feat was successfully accomplished as a result of the renewed determination of the Comptroller-General of NCS, Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali (retired) to rid the country of all forms of illegal importation.
According to the statement, Haruna also enumerated the items impounded to include 121 vehicles; 3,082 bags of 50kg rice; 1,454 cartons /set of furniture; 5,120 pieces of used foreign tyres; 625 cartons of fake medicaments and 2,600 pieces of imported school bags.
Also seized were 63 containers of log of wood; 97 pieces of 14 -stroke engine generator; 30,181 cartons imported frozen poultry products; 1,148 bales of second hand clothing as well as 2, 331 cartons of foreign detergents and creams.
Others are 1,339 pairs of foot wears; 142 pieces of used refrigerators and compressors, 155 cartons of plastic and articles of plastics; 129 cartons of ceramics and articles of ceramics in addition to 803 bags of scrap metals.
