Customs Seize Petrol, Drugs, Other Items Worth N1.38bn In 2 Months
BY CHINYERE OBIORA – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday disclosed that contrabands worth N1.38 billion have been intercepted in the last two months.
The Coordinator of Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT), Sector 2, South West Zone, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the prohibited items were seized between July and August, 2024 .
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Shuaibu said the contraband seized by the Unit are, 4,019 Jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); 2,633 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice; 868 jumbo bales of second hand clothing; 790 pieces of Codine Syrup 100ml; 338 sacks of Artificial Razing; 135 sacks of Cannabis Sativa; used footwears.
Others are, 77 sacks of ginger; 45 bags of Calcium Propionate E282 food additive (20kg); 21 bags of 25kg foreign parboiled rice; 15 units of fairly used cars (means of conveyance); five units of fairly used released cars; 14 Trucks.
According to Shuaibu, 18 persons suspected to be trafficked and two suspected traffickers were also arrested during various operations undertaken by the Unit.
He told journalists that; “The Federal Government had in 2019 constituted the joint operation with the view to curbing smuggling activities and other cross-border crimes that threaten our national and economic security.
“The exercise has achieved tremendous success going by the number of interceptions of prohibited items, channelling of procedures, generating revenues through additional payments and auction sales with the proceeds remitted into the federation account.”
“Together with the Nigeria Immigration Service being a critical component of the Joint Border Patrol Team, we intercepted 125 Person Refused Entry, 11 Person Refused Departure, 18 Trafficking in person and Two Suspected Trafficking Agents who violated Immigration laws and were immediately handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and prosecution.
“The Sector also recovered a total of N26.1 million revenue through the issuance of Debit Notes (DN) on vehicles and other goods that were underpaid. JBPT Sector 2 is not relenting in its efforts of combating smuggling activities and illegal migrants that are undermining our national security.
“While the Federal Government is committed to ensuring the availability of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to the citizenry. It is disheartening to know that some notorious smugglers are bent on smuggling the products to neighbouring countries for their selfish gain. These groups of unpatriotic citizens will have us to contend with, as the Sector has deployed intelligence to apprehend offenders.
“The Sector is fully prepared to face the challenge ahead as we are into the last quarter of the year 2024, we are enhancing our collaboration and the use of intelligence to contend with the possibility of more desperation from the smugglers.”
Acknowledging the huge support and encouragement from the NCS top hierarchy, Shuaibu said; “My profound gratitude goes to the CGC of Customs and his management team for making these achievements possible by supporting us with the needed logistics.”
This is as he warned smugglers to desist from their criminal activities, stressing that the Unit will always take proactive measures to tackle smuggling and other related crimes in the South West region.
Specifically, he said; “We are taking more proactive measures by confronting them with increased vigour in line with the CGC’s marching order, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. I want to use this opportunity once again to urge the smugglers to shun smuggling and avoid being lured into crimes with the aim of making easy wealth.
“We are calling on all stakeholders such as traditional rulers, religious bodies and youth leaders to sensitise their subjects against smuggling activities.”
The JBPT Coordinator said if not put in check, smuggling has the capacity to not only destroy the nation’s economy but also effectively undermine the nation’s security and transfer employment to other nations.
