The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has raided rice markets and warehouses in Lagos where it evacuated 1,930 bags of rice worth N708 million just as it intercepted a tanker-load of rice in Katsina.
The Comptroller General Strike Force carried out the raid in Lagos and Ogun states where the seized goods were taken to the Customs warehouse in Ikeja, Lagos.
Daily Trust had recently reported the flooding of parboiled foreign rice across markets despite its ban. The Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) held a meeting with Customs Area Controllers on the action.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos yesterday, the coordinator, CGC’s Strike Force, Zone A, Lagos, Deputy Comptroller Ahmadu Shuaibu, said the directive was to boost the local production of rice.
Shuaibu lamented the high rate of cargoes that are falsely declared as machinery to evade Customs duty and levy.
The unit made other seizures that include textiles materials, perfumes, cosmetics and beverages, which have been forfeited to the federal government.
He said, “1,930 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice in two weeks. This is to ensure that the country is rid of smuggled foreign parboiled rice as we have instructions of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) that markets and warehouses of smugglers should be raided and smuggled rice evacuated.”
Meanwhile, the Katsina Area Command has seized an oil tanker loaded with smuggled foreign rice with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N13 million at Dutsinma area of the state.
The Area Controller of Customs in the state, Comptroller Adewale Aremu, while parading the seized items yesterday, said the smugglers concealed 210 bags of 50kg rice in two of the three tanker compartments.
The vehicle had A.A. Rano petrol company sticker affixed to it suspected to have been forged with registration number SBG 419 XA.
Mr Aremu said the occupants of the vehicle have also been arrested along with an alleged owner of the tanker.
The Command also seized several smuggled vehicles including a BMW 2014 model with N3m DPV, N6m Toyota Hilux 2020, N17m Toyota Land Cruiser, with all the seizures worth N32.87m.
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