The Ogun Area command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it impounded three assorted vehicles and other smuggled goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N37.2million.
The vehicles include a Mercedes Benz 2015 model S550, a Toyota Corolla 2009 model and a Volvo Truck.
Also seized are 721 cartons of imported Croaker fish loaded in two J5 buses with registration numbers AKD 674 XU and KJA 635 XU respectively and 483 bags of 50kg smuggled foreign rice intercepted along the creeks in Ipokia Local Government Area.
Public Relations Officer of the command, Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC 1) Abdul Maiwada said in a statement at the weekend that the seizures were made last Wednesday.
He said the Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Sani Madugu while emphasizing the need for all Nigerians, especially traders to comply with the federal government fiscal policies on trade, maintained that the command will not relent in its anti-smuggling operations.
Madugu also reiterated the government’s ban on rice and vehicles through the land borders.
He said “It is pertinent to reiterate that rice and vehicles have come under restriction from being imported through the land borders, while frozen poultry products are completely prohibited into the country.
“On the other hand, fish products are under regulated products in Nigeria with some specific guidelines which every fish importer must fulfil before he or she can embark on importation of such. These include license/permit from Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development by importing company and such importation must be subjected to National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) inspection/certification among others.
The customs boss appealed to traditional rulers and eminent personalities in the State to help sensitize their wards on the ills of smuggling saying that it will help change the perception of many towards customs operations.
“We believe that, doing so will change the perception of many towards our operations and further highlight our service to our beloved nation. We are ready to partner with all stakeholders and all law abiding citizens in our resolve to collect maximum revenue for the betterment of all and to reduce smuggling to its barest minimum,” he said.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.