Customs FOU Zone A seizes smuggled goods worth N13.9bn

The Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, said it impounded contraband goods with Duty Paid Value, DPV, worth N13.9 billion in 2022.

This is even as the Unit recovered about N878.3 million from goods cleared at the seaports and border stations with under payment of accruable duty.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Unit, Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, disclosed that the Unit arrested 176 suspects during the year.

He said: “In terms of volume, rice topped the list of our seizures. We seized 93,102 bags of 50 kilograms rice which amounts to about 156 trailer loads. Even our newly constructed warehouse had an overflow of seized rice.

“A total number of 108 automobiles comprising of trucks, tankers, cars and motorcycles were seized either as smuggled items or means of conveyance of smuggled items.

“Illicit drugs seized within the year under review are, 7,354 kilograms and 4,975 tablets of Cannabis sativa, 233 cartons of 225 milligrams, and 82 packs of 225 milligrams of Tramadol.

“It is pertinent to remind us that these hard drugs fuel crime and insecurity. For petroleum products, this Unit seized 656,414 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); that is, about 20 tanker loads of fuel from economic saboteurs who seek to impoverish the majority of our country people by taking out petrol subsidized for citizens’ benefit to be sold in other countries.

“We arrested 176 smuggling suspects last year, secured seven convictions, 14 were charged to court and are at various stages of investigation and prosecution, seven suspects are in detention: two suspects were handed over to NDLEA, and one suspect was handed over to the Nigerian Police respectively, while 151 are on administrative bail.

“On a sad note, four of our officers lost their lives in active service while confronting smugglers last year.”