Customs impounds N3.3bn worth of smuggled goods in June

Customs Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Usman Bello Yahaya, said on Wednesday that the Unit recorded a total of 144 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N3.3 billion in June 2021.

He said Wednesday in Lagos that the seizures were being smuggled into the country through unapproved routes by criminal-minded businessmen who, according to him, are hell-bent on sabotaging the nation’s economy.

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Yahaya, while giving a breakdown of the seizures said it includes 14,789 bags of 59kg rice, 727 cartons of unregistered drugs, 2,784 cartons of frozen poultry products, 28 units of smuggled used vehicles, 116,000 litres of petrol (4649 jerricans), 237 bales of second-hand clothes, six sacks of secondhand clothing, 20 cartons of Tramadol, 885 prices of used tyres, 10,400 cartons of alcohol beverages, 84 different kinds of vehicles laden with 50kg bags of rice and 5×29 ft containers of semi-processed woods.

He also disclosed that 28 units of exotic cars valued at N258.61 million were also seized within the same period.

He said, “We also arrested 23 suspects in connection with the seizures. Out of the 23 suspects, 12 have secured administrative bail, while 11 are still in our custody.

“Two of the suspects had attempted to smuggle in cannabis Sativa, also known as Indian hemp.”