Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted a pump action rifle, two locally-made guns, 35 live cartridges and military camouflage uniforms from smugglers.
The acting Controller of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Hussein Ejibunu, said this in Lagos yesterday, adding that five suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
He said other seized items included 7,328 bags of parboiled foreign rice; 121,550 litres of premium motor spirit; 68 cartons of frozen poultry; 37 crates of eggs used to conceal rice; 150kg parcels of Indian Hemp; 10 pieces of military camouflage bags; and six units of used cars along Ogun, Oyo border areas.
Ejibunu added that his men also seized 1,955 bales of used clothing in an abandoned building around the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex in Ojo area of Lagos.
“We also recovered the sum of N107,816,622.75 for the period under review. “Chief among the September seizures was a massive discovery of 1,955 bales of used clothing in an abandoned building around the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
“We made the discovery and evacuation using combined strategies of intelligence, tact and enforcement. Also within the same period, a large cache of premium motor spirit (PMS) ingeniously concealed inside sacks was intercepted at the Badagry Axis of Lagos State.
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“Other seizures recorded within the same period are:7,328 x 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice; 121,550 litres of premium motor spirit; 68 cartons of frozen poultry; 37 crates of eggs used to conceal rice; 150kg parcels of Indian Hemp; 10 pieces of military Camouflage bags; Six units of used cars (Tokunbo); One unit of pump action rifle; 2 units of locally made guns and 35 live cartridges.
“Five suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures mentioned above. Interestingly, the Federal High Court passed three judgements in favour of this Unit on three criminal cases; securing the conviction of six people for being in possession of smuggled goods.
Ejubunu pointed out that “this is the highest single seizure of used clothing made by the service this year, and we have commenced investigation to know those behind this massive importation, and at what entry point these clothes came into the country. Used clothing in commercial quantity falls under absolute prohibition. They have been seized and we are on the trail of the smugglers to get them arrested.