The Comptroller of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, (FOC), Zone C command, Kayode Olusemire, has expressed worry that despite the closure of Nigeria’s land borders, smugglers are still devising new ways and strategies to bring in banned goods into the country.
Olusemire however said that no matter how they try, his men are up to the task to thwart their efforts.
Olusemire said that more worrisome was the smuggling of goods that had been outrightly banned in Nigeria, especially drugs and second hand clothing.
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, Imo state while displaying the latest seizures by his unit, Comptroller Olusemire said the command impounded 1,182 cartons of Analgin injections; 1,343 bags of 50kg foreign rice and furniture under declared as pumps and valves.
He said the Analgin injections were imported from China but concealed in a container in a truck with a generator set, 521 bales of used clothes and furniture and under declared by the smugglers, adding that his men were able to intercept the goods along Port Harcourt Road.
Olusemire put the overall duty paid value (DPV) of the items seized at N492million, stating that the smuggled bags of foreign rice some of which had become harmful for human consumption bore a DPV of N33,812,600.
The comptroller said that six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures and had been granted administrative bail but would soon be charged to court.
“We should learn to eat what we produce and do away with importation. We have large acres of land and with technology, we can produce all that we need.
“Smugglers are coming from so many ways and with new ideas of smuggling daily but we have our tentacles and strategies to checkmate their nefarious operations wherever they are.”
The comptroller advised Nigerians to always assist Customs with useful information to checkmate smugglers, their agents and collaborators.
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