With the continued onslaught against importation of frozen poultry product by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) operation ‘Hawk Descend’, the Western Marine Command yesterday destroyed 1,583 cartons of frozen poultry products valued at N9.8million
Addressing journalists shortly after the destruction of the products, Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Yusuf Umar said the products were intercepted on Sunday and Monday within Badagry Yekeme and Idiroko axis.
Umar explained that the seizure was achieved with the support of personnel of the Nigerian Army who assisted the officers in intercepting the products when they met with resistance from the smugglers.
While expressing his appreciation to the Nigerian Army, Umar said the command will continue to partner with other security agencies in order to nip smuggling activities in the bud.
He said since the launch of operation Hawk Descend, the command has intercepted and destroyed the largest number of smuggled poultry products totaling 6,668 cartons.
He said the command will continue to run smugglers out of the illicit trade adding that the command is aiming at impounding 10,000 cartons of the product before the end of operation.
“The command under my watch will not tolerate smuggling and other vices that are inimical to the economic and industrial growth of the nation thereby leading to unemployment, loss of jobs, closure of factories and increase in crime rates.
“We have been networking to make sure that we nip smuggling in the bud but we still have some unscrupulous element that are not patriotic enough to make sure that the country move forward.
“Since the introduction of operation ‘Hawk Descend’ two months ago, Western Marine Command has been on the forefront of fighting smugglers on waters. In this new administration, the Nigeria Customs Service cannot be left behind and we must be alive to our responsibility,” he said.
Giving a breakdown of the seizure, Umar said that on the 6th of September, a total of 278 cartons valued at N1,668,000 was intercepted in the morning while 300 cartons valued at N1,800,000 were seized in the latter part of the day. He said day two had 1,000 cartons of frozen products seized estimated at N6, 300,000.
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.