The Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC, Strike Force Zone ‘A’ said it intercepted 6,580 bags of 50kg parboiled rice, 1,292 25 -litre jerry cans of vegetable oil and 1, 607, cartons of foreign poultry products, among others, with Duty Paid Value, DPV of N118.1million in 47 days.
The Officer in Charge of CGC Strike Force, Zone ‘A’, Deputy Comptroller, DC, Yahaya Biu, made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.
According to the statement the contraband were intercepted from various locations in the zone between May 14, when Biu took over leadership of the team, and June 30.
Biu further disclosed that the unit seized five truck loads of contraband 50kg parboiled foreign rice along Alibaba Street at Iyana-sashi waterside in Agbara-Badagry axis on June 30.
The statement read in part: “The seizure operations, led by Chief Superintendent of Customs, CSC, Esiet, was made possible by the vibrant information network of the unit.
“Aside from one of the trucks with registration number AGL665XL which is a standard lorry size that was used in conveying the contraband rice products, other trucks with registration numbers AAA534DU, GGE427XU, LXR27XV were completely reconstructed and reinforced to withstand pressure as well as have the capacity to convey large quantities of smuggled goods and easily access the marshy terrain.”
Biu put the total Duty Paid Value, DPV, of seized items at N118,154,708.00.
“The seizures within the period under review include, 6,580 bags of 50kg rice with N87,202,108.00 DPV and 1,292 jerry cans of 25-litre vegetable oil with DPV of N12,209,400.00.
“Other seizures within the period under review are: 1, 607 cartons of foreign poultry products with DPV of N15,427,200; 17 bales of second hand clothing with DPV of N1,224,000.00; and two vehicles which include one Peugeot and a fiat bus with DPV of N2,092,000.00,” he said.
The Deputy Comptroller warned smugglers as well as economic saboteurs still operating within the zone to have a rethink as his officers and men were ready to rid the zone of economic saboteurs.
