By seaflyponews 
Customs intercepts contrabands Worth N1.28bn
By Babatunde Aremu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operatins Unit (FOU), Zone A, has intercepted 11 used vehicles, four truck-load of foreign per boiled rice, narcotics and other contrabands smuggled into the country worth over N1.28 billion.
While displaying the seized items to journalists on Tuesday at the Customs warehouse in Ikeja, the Controller of Customs FOU Zone A, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the seizures which were made in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states, are part of intensified efforts to curtail criminal activities threatening Nigeria’s economy and national security.
Among the highlights of the operations were the interception of two 40-foot containers on May 23 and 24, loaded with vehicles and goods smuggled in a bid to evade customs duties.
Shuaibu said the containers held seven Mitsubishi Cantas, five Toyota buses, and three Mini buses, alongside other contraband items such as used bicycles, 42 used gas cylinders, 30 used flat screens televisions, 65 table top cookers, and 31 unit of used split air conditioning and among others.
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He said the importation of these items contravenes schedule 4 of the Common External Tariff (CET).
Other seizures include, 1,263 pieces of used tyres concealed in a Volvo truck intercepted on May 19, a truckload of suspected bulletproof vests and tramadol intercepted along the Sagamu-Ijebude expressway, a Mercedes-Benz truck carrying 1,665 kg of cannabis sativa hidden in its compartment, with one suspect arrested.
Others are 2,051 bags of foreign parboiled rice, equivalent to four trailer loads, 11 used vehicles, commonly referred to as “combo” vehicles, 4,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), a commercial Black J5 bus loaded with expired goods and spare parts, and a Volvo truck with 180 sacks of new towels.
Also seized were; 312, Bales of printed wax, 23 Bales of used clothing, 42 used gas cylinders, and 30 used flat screens televisions, 65 table top cookers, and 31 unit of used split air conditioning and among others. The importation of these items contravenes schedule 4 of the common external tariff.
He said seven suspects were arrested in connection with the various seizures, which have a duty paid value (DPV) of overbN1.28 billion.
“In less than two weeks since my inaugural briefing, our operatives have recorded 46 interceptions across Lagos and border corridors in the southwest. These efforts have led to significant losses for economic saboteurs who are bent on bringing the country to its knees,” he said.
Speaking on the ongoing revenue recovery and border surveillance, Shuaibu emphasised that the unit also recovered N48.04 million through demand notices issued for improperly declared consignments, underscoring the unit’s commitment to plugging revenue leakages.
While receiving the narcotic seizures, the Deputy Commander of Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State, Abdul Maiyaki, expressed satisfaction with the high-level inter-agency collaboration between NDLEA and Customs.
He assured that the NDLEA would intensify enforcement and collaborative efforts to curb the influx of drugs into the country.