Customs FOU ‘A’ seizes N4bn smuggled goods, arrests 60 suspects in six months

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has seized smuggled goods with Duty Paid Value of N4,022,960,075 from January to June 2023.

Acting Controller of the Unit, Hussein Ejibunu, who made the disclosure at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday said the unit recorded 580 seizures while 60 suspects were arrested within the review period.

He added that the unit recovered a total of N400,599,515.66 as revenue through the issuance of demand notices.

Notable among the items seized include, 36,742 X 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice equivalent to 62 trailer loads, some of which he said were ferried through bush paths using motorcycles and rickety vehicles as means of conveyance.

Other items seized are 14,015 (7,728) parcels of Indian Hemp, 1, 064 bales of used clothing, 450 x 106 kg drums of carbide, 2 x 20 containers of unprocessed wood, 1,448 pieces of foreign rugs, 30 units of used motorcycles, 44 units of used vehicles (Tokunbo), 218,575 litres of premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 860 cartons of foreign poultry products and 833 pieces of used tyres.

He said, “Within the first six months of the year, our activities resulted in a high volume and value of seizures with some suspects arrested. We also succeeded in preventing the entry of dangerous or harmful substances like illicit drugs into the society.

“Our strategic intervention also achieved recovery of revenue through the issuance of demand notices to complete underpaid duties into the federal government coffers that were being evaded by some importers and their agents.

“For the period under review, we made 580 seizures with a duty-paid value of N4,022,960,075. We also arrested 60 suspects and recovered a total of N400,599,515.66 as revenue through the issuance of demand notices.

“We wish to express our profound gratitude to sister security agencies for their unflinching synergy in the course of our operations; special mention to the Department of State Security Services- Oyo State Command for the arrest of a notorious suspect that was on the wanted list for attack on a Customs patrol team escorting exhibits. Interestingly, this suspect was arrested and handed over the Unit yesterday.”

Ejibunu added that through the Federal High courts, 11 suspects have been convicted for committing various offences including improper importation, assault of Customs officers, being in possession of foreign parboiled rice and being in possession of pangolin scales meant for export.

“While some other smuggling and related cases instituted in the courts are at various stages of prosecution and would be followed up diligently,” he said.

Ejibunu warned that the unit’s onslaught against smugglers in the second half of 2023 will be fiercer with a renewed determination to uncover them using intelligence-backed enforcement.

“We shall get recalcitrant traders and their agents arrested and prosecuted in addition to seizing their wares,” he said.

The Customs boss, however, advised members of the trading community to further embrace compliance and shun any act that would place them on the wrong side of the law.

He enjoined them to keep themselves abreast of the import and export prohibition lists as claims of ignorance will not suffice as an excuse whenever they are caught.