Border patrol team arrests 66 suspects, 51 irregular migrants

The Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) in the South-South and South-East zones has arrested 66 suspects and 51 irregular migrants.

The team also confiscated items worth N594 million.

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The comptroller of customs in charge of the JBPT, sector coordinator, Sector 1, Shehu Abubakar, said the team carried out the raids based on intelligence report, adding that stop-and-search operations of suspected shops and warehouses led to the interception of irregular migrants and contraband items.

Abubakar said 10, 596 bags of rice were seized, as well as 374, 642 litres of petroleum products, 224 bales of fairly used foreign cloths, 299 bags of 16kg Indian hemp, 509 cartons of fake drugs, 507 rolls of textile materials, 2 locally made pistols, 2,195 cartons of foreign cocoa butter and 438 cartons of ceramic stainless plates.

Other items include 1184 bags of 25kg foreign fertiliser, 410 cartons of foreign poultry products, 285 jerry-cans of 25 litres of foreign vegetable oil, 161/25 litres of palm oil, 191 bags of white cement and 4 vehicles.

In a press release made available to our correspondent on Sunday in Uyo, Abubakar stated that the items had been deposited in government-designated warehouses across the zone.

He added that the operations, which spanned five months, were in line with the rules of engagement of the JBPT as enshrined in section 147 and 151 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, cap C45 LFN 2004.