The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’,in Ikeja, Lagos, said it intercepted and seized smuggled goods worth Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N13.908 billion between January 1 and December 31, 2022.
The unit also arrested 176 smugglers during the same period under review,Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, Acting Controller, FOU Zone A, disclosed on Thursday in Lagos
At a press conference,Ejibunu, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs (DC), said among the seized goods were 156 trailer loads of rice, 108 vehicles, 20 trailer loads of petroleum products as well as other contraband.
He noted that 2022 was a period of sustained anti-smuggling onslaught, zero compromise for duty evasion and diligent facilitation of trade for his unit.
According to him,the unit prosecuted its core mandates in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states.
He added: “Even in the face of resistance, attacks and tricks in the mode of concealments, we were duty bound to carry out our responsibilities. I am glad to report that we shook the smuggling world within our area of responsibility.This unit also prevented loss of government revenue as our assigned position of being a layer of check uncovered attempts at evading duties. We recovered the discovered shortfalls through issuance of Demand Dotices (DN).
“We did all these at the expense of our lives placing national interest ahead of any narrow or personal gain,” he added, noting, “It is sad to note that some of our officers paid the supreme price last year when they got killed by smugglers. For us, they are the heroes of the anti-smuggling battle and they will never be forgotten.”
He said,aside protecting the national economy, some of the seizures achieved protection of citizens’ health because dangerous, expired and harmful products were prevented from being smuggled into the country.
He said:”The items seized were foreign parboiled rice, vehicles, drugs, textiles, petroleum products and other items in the import and export prohibition lists”
He disclosed that rice topped the list of his unit’s seizures during the period in view.
He added:”We seized 93,102 X 50kg which amounts to about 156 trailer loads of rice. Even our newly constructed warehouse had an overflow of seized rice.A total number of 108 automobiles comprising of trucks, tankers, cars and motorcycles were seized either as smuggled items or means of conveyance of smuggled items.”
He said illicit drugs seized in the year under review are, 7,354 kg and 4,975 tablets of Cannabis sativa, 233 cartons X 225 milligrams, and 82 packs X 225 milligrams of Tramadol.
“It is pertinent to remind us that these hard drugs fuel crime and insecurity. For petroleum products, this unit seized 656,414 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS); that is, about 20 tanker loads of fuel from economic saboteurs who seek to impoverish the majority of our country people by taking out petrol subsidized for citizens’ benefit to be sold in other countries.
“We arrested 176 smuggling-suspects last year, secured 7 convictions, 14 were charged to court and are at various stages of investigation and prosecution, 7 suspects are in detention: 2 suspects were handed over to NDLEA, and 1 suspects was handed over to the Nigerian Police respectively, while 151 are on administrative bail.
“On a sad note, four of our officers namely: Late inspectors of Customs TP Astor, and A Onwueguzie, and Assistant Inspectors of Customs, Musa, R and Bristol, E lost their lives in active service while confronting smugglers last year.While we frowned at such murderous acts, we also ensured that those behind some of the killings were arrested to face justice.”