Smuggling: Customs seize goods worth over N133m in Kebbi

By Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi

The Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi State Command has seized goods worth over N133mllion from smugglers.

Briefing journalists at the command headquarters, the State Comptroller of Custom,

Hafiz Kalla, said the seizures were made from January to date through the borders in the state.

He further explained that on 27th of July while on routine surveillance, officers and men of Kebbi Area Command in collaboration with the Customs Police Unit intercepted a tanker with Reg. No; KUR 152 XA loaded with 60,000litres of PMS (premium motor spirit) petroleum along Tsamiya/Illo road in Bagudo Local Government.

The driver could not tender relevant documents to convince officers of their destination; hence they were brought to the office for further investigation. He added that in the spirit of interagency collaboration, the matter will now be handed over to the NNPC-led Operation White created by the Presidency to curtail PMS diversion in order to conduct their investigation about the point of loading and the destination.

Hafiz, however, said the  command has also  made 124 seizures of assorted items, which include: 2,279 bags of 50kg of foreign rice, 454 packages of Indian hemp 1,008 bags of 50kg of foreign fertilizers,157 bales of second hand clothing and new textile materials, 12 units of used vehicles  and  other perishables. The duty paid value of the items stands at N133, 117,568 (One Hundred and Thirty-Three Million, One hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Eight Naira), he said.

The command was able to generate over 5 million naira as fees from the auction sales of perishable and inflammable items, as the borders under Kebbi Area command still remains closed.

He, therefore, assured that the command will continue to be vigilant to suppress the cancer of smuggling in the state.