The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said that between February and March 2022, it seized 828 bags of foreign parboiled rice between Benin Republic and Lagos State.
The Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Abubakar Umar, while addressing journalists recently at the command in Lagos, said that 503 out of the 828 bags of rice seized by the command were from Benin Republic.
He also said that 136 bags of the commodity were seized from Oniru Beach, noting that the total duty paid value of the seized 828 bags of rice was N29.6 million.
“Our operatives, while on credible intelligence along Badagry waterways, intercepted and seized one wooden boat laden with foreign parboiled rice suspected to be smuggled from Benin Republic. On physical examination, it was found to be 503 bags of foreign parboiled rice.
“On Wednesday 25 May 2022, following credible intelligence, the operatives of the command intercepted and arrested 2 wooden boats laden with 136 bags of foreign parboiled rice at Oniru Beach.”
According to him, “The operative of the command under my watch arrested and seized total of 828 bags of foreign rice suspected to be smuggled from Benin Republic with DPV of N29, 684million.”
Umar also said that the command within the period under review seized 32 sacks of Cannabis Sativa, equivalent to 2,520 pieces of the commodity.
He said that the Cannabis Sativa had a total weight of 1, 437kg, with DPV of N168 million.
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