By Oluwakemi Dauda

The Controller General of Customs Strike Force, Team A, said on Wednesday that it intercepted four container loads of unprocessed woods valued at N373.5 million.

The wood was about being shipped out of the country to Asia when it was intercepted by men of the service.

The Federal Government, in 2019, outlawed the export of unprocessed wood and allied products to protect the nation’s forest.

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Coordinator, CGC Strike Force Team A,  Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Ahmadu Shuaibu, while showcasing the items in Ikorodu, said the team seized  four containers loaded with unprocessed wood.

He said the team would go after those behind the illegal exports and cripple the finances of their sponsors.

“Among other siezed items are 550 cartons of footwear, 343 rolls of synthetic grass cover and 1,709 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice with a cumulative Duty Paid Value of N664.6 million.

“Within the period January and June 2021, a total of 86 seizures were made and they were found to have contravened different sections of the Customs and Excise laws. The goods are worth the N1.65 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV).”