Customs intercepts N463m worth of contraband in S/West

• Collects N66.5 million from undervalued goods in one month

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, impounded N463 million worth of contraband in the month of July alone in the South West region.

Besides, it said it also collected N66.5 million as Demand Notices (DN) from undervalued cargos that exited the nation’s busiest seaports, Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports respectively in the same period.

Acting Controller in charge of FOU Zone A, Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, said the recovery of the N66.5m through issuance of DN to importers whose consignments were undervalued is part of the unit’s efforts to block all areas of revenue leakage.

Ejibunu said the Seizures recorded within the period under review are a reflection of officers’ commitment to duty, and no compromise posture in the discharge of their statutory responsibilities; which he said is aimed at protecting the national economy and preventing the importation of prohibited and harmful goods.

He said the success story will not be complete without expressing his deep and sincere gratitude to the Ag Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, adding that the CGC’s maiden working visit to the unit was a morale booster to officers.

“A total of 50 seizures were made within the period under review for non-compliance with the extant customs laws. Notable among the seizures made are: 5,642 X 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 9 trailer loads), 18,925 litres (757 X 25 litres jerry cans of premium motor spirit), 20 pieces of pistol pouches, 15 pieces of bulletproof jackets, 15 pieces of jack knives VI., 49 cartons of children school shoes, 181(87 kg) parcels of Indian Hemp, 357 kegs X 5 litres of vegetable oil, 1 unit of Honda Motorcycle and 2 used (Tokunbo) vehicles all with a total duty paid value (DPV) of N462,708,875,” he said.

He added that 13 suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures, and are at different stages of investigation and prosecution.