The Nation Newspaper

Tag: smuggled goods

  • Customs seizes smuggled goods worth N500m in Bauchi

    The Federal Operations Unit (FOU)‎ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Zone D, has seized smuggled goods worth N50 million across the nine states of the zone according to Mr Peters Olugboyega, the Comptroller of the zone.

    He made the disclosure while briefing Journalists in Bauchi, adding that the goods were seized from various locations in the zone.
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    Olugbenga said the seized goods include: 1,963 cartons of Spaghetti, 780‎ gallons of vegetable Oil, 300 bags of parboiled rice concealed in BUA Sugar bags and 90 Bales of second hand clothing
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    According to him, the goods are accosted while being transported ‎in three J5 Buses and two trucks at different locations.

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    ‘”The truck carrying 1,963 cartons of Spaghetti and 780 Jerrycans of Vegetable oil was yesterday impounded along Potiskum-Gombe road.
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    “The three J5 buses conveying 90 Bales of second ‎hand clothing, each fully loaded with 30 Bales

    were today impounded by our personnel on patrol along Kano-Bauchi road

    “The Mercedes-Benz truck with the concealed bags of Rice was impounded by our men along Jos-Bauchi road on last Saturday.

    “The total worth of the goods is about N500 million, ” he said.

     

    Read Also: Youths injure policemen, destroy patrol vehicle in Jos
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    The Comptroller noted that smuggling, had over time affected the country economy, leading to huge losses ‎in the revenue drive of the country.

    Olugbenga expressed the commitment of the Service to reduce the menace to the barest minimum.
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    He said that drivers of the vehicles ‎carrying the smuggled items were arrested and would soon be prosecuted alongside the smugglers.
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    He warned Nigerians to desist from smuggling, stressing that that anyone caught would be prosecuted according to the provisions of the law

    The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that the Zone D of the Service with its headquarters in Bauchi, comprised of Borno,Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe, Plateau, Benue and Nassarawa‎ states

  • Customs special operatives intercept N150m smuggled goods

    Operatives of the newly reconstituted Comptroller General of Customs’ Task force have intercepted smuggled goods worth N150 million.

    The seizure was recorded barely 30 days after the task force was inaugurated.

    The team is made up of 80 operatives in Lagos zone, and sometimes takes part in cargo examination at the seaports and border stations.

    No fewer than 20 seizures of various items ranging from trailer-loads of imported rice, vegetable oil, second-hand clothing as well as frozen poultry products and means of conveyance had been intercepted in the last two weeks.

    One of the seized trailers loaded with cement was also used to conceal several bags of imported rice.

    Owners of other containerized goods with duty paid value could not present proof of import duty payment, necessitating their seizure.

    The Comptroller General’s special team which replaced the defunct CG’s compliance team, now uses digital technology to track smuggled goods through its Information Communication Technology (ICT) unit.

    The ICT centre located on Warehouse road, Apapa can easily monitor the movement of cargoes right from its port of departure to the final destination, knowing the classification of the goods whether they are hazardous, the quantity and the possible import duty payable.

    It was learnt that operatives of the task force were charged to conduct themselves with civility and undertake painstaking investigation while discharging their duty.

    With the Inauguration of the task force, several debit note have been recommended to its ICT centre which assesses it for recovery of revenue heading for a loss. To date, several millions of naira has been recovered through this method.

    It will be recalled that on February 2, 2018, the Comptroller General of the Customs Service, Hammed Ali approved the dissolution of the former Compliance team and inaugurated a new unit named ‘Strike force’ to intensify the crackdown on smugglers across the country.

    Headed by Deputy Comptroller, Abubakar Usman Argungu as National Co-ordinator, with four Assistant Comptrollers to oversee its operations at four zones, they are Salisu A. for Lagos, Dahiru Kirawa for zone ‘C’ in Owerri, Ekanem for zone ‘B’ in Kaduna and A. Kakudi for zone ‘D’ in Bauchi.

    According to the spokesperson of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, “It is(the team) empowered to enter into any command facility once there is suspicion of fraud with a view to blocking revenue leakages”.

    “The operation of the task force is in line with the demands of ease of doing business and to promote transparency and accountability in the Service.

    ”Operatives of the task force are headquartered at the various Customs training colleges to “avoid unnecessary hindrances to trade on the highways.”

  • Ogun customs intercepts N168m smuggled goods

    Ogun customs intercepts N168m smuggled goods

    Smuggled goods worth over N168 million including a brand new Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle 2018 model worth N51 million, thousands of bags of rice among others have been intercepted by the Ogun State Customs Command.

    Speaking with news men at the Idiroko Area Customs Command in Ipokia Local Government Area, the Controller of Customs in Ogun State, Mr Sani Madugu said the his men and officers would sustain the current tempo of the anti-smuggling campaign of the command.

    ” It is pertinent to inform you that within the last two weeks, we have sustained the tempo promised in our anti-smuggling drive. During the period under review, the tireless efforts by the officers and men of the Command yielded a total of 13 second hand (Tokunbo) vehicles;12 means of conveyance, 21 motorcycles, 1,168 bags of rice(50 kg each), 221 kegs of vegetable oil(25 liters), five sacks of second hand shoes and two sacks of second hand bags with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N153,858,579,153 at Idiroko axis  of Ogun Customs Command.

    ”Most spectacular among the seizures is brand new Range Rover SUV (Velar) 2018 model seized and tagged ”the seizure of the month, the said vehicle has  DPV of N51,285,154.”

    The vehicle, according Madugu was intercepted from suspected smugglers who fled on sighting customs men around the Ifo axis of the State.

    ” Despite the aforementioned event and given the tottering nature of the operational environment, we will not relent, we will continue to stand firm and resolute in discharging the statutory responsibilities bestowed upon us as a service with dedication, selflessness and uncompromising commitment.”

    ‘’In spite of the incessant harassment of our men by the smugglers, we will not relent our efforts and we will not be intimidated. We are therefore calling on well-meaning Nigerians to support us in this anti-smuggling campaign.”

  • Customs destroys smuggled goods

    Customs destroys smuggled goods

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday in Benin, Edo State, destroyed imported frozen poultry products seized on Benin/Ore axis with duty paid value of N7.2 million.

    The Officer-in-charge of the axis, Chief Superintendent of Customs Usman A. R., told reporters that the products were seized on November 30 by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’.

    Usman, represented by Superintendent of Customs Patrick Onyemem, said the seizure and destruction of the products was in compliance with the Federal Government’s policy on imported frozen poultry products.

    He said the products totalling 480 cartons were smuggled and conveyed to Benin in two vehicles – a Toyota Camry registered as AAA692ES and chassis number JT153SV1000165458.

    Usman said the other vehicle was a Volkswagen Passat marked BDG792AU.

    Officials of government agencies, including the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) witnessed the destruction of the products.