The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has intercepted 189 gallons and two trucks loaded with premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol, that were being smuggled outside the country.
NCS said the huge seizures were made by the Operation Whirlwind led by Compt. Hussaini Ejibunu in charge of the Kwara and Niger axis.
The process of auctioning the product to the general public had commenced, it said.
Zakari Chado, the state Public Relations Officer and National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin.
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He said the exercise, which is coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), commenced in May.
According to him, the team intercepted 38 and 61 Kegs of 25 litres of petrol with a duty paid value of N2,970,000.
He said, “Another team led by Chief Superintendent of Customs, Waziri Mohammed, at about 11:30 pm around Gure/kusoboso, intercepted another 90 kegs of 25 litres of PMS with a duty paid value of N2,700,000” all in September.’’
He added that two trucks with registration number FST-524 XG and JJJ-14-XQ stocked with 33,000 litres of PMS each worth N79.2 million were also caught while they were being smuggled out of the country.
He said the two tankers had been handed over to the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA) for further investigation.
He added that one suspect had been apprehended in connection with the smuggling activities.
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