The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri has continued to beam its searchlight on smugglers of contraband goods in the country resulting in the seizure of a total of over N1 billion worth of goods recovered within the period of six months.
42 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures made, while 25 cases are now pending in court for possible prosecution of the culprits between January and June this year.
The Customs Comptroller in charge of the Unit, Haruna Mammudu who disclosed this, in a press release signed by the Public Relations Officer in Owerri, Onuigbo, Ifeoma; said that the banned items were confiscated by officers of the unit on the Benin, Calabar, Owerri, Enugu and Aba/Eleme axis within the zone.
According to the Comptroller, the items which were packaged and concealed in such a manner as to deceive security agents on duty include 90 vehicles; 2,758 bags of 50kg rice; 4,160 pieces of used tyres; 1,337 cartons/set of furniture and 625 cartons of fake drugs (medicaments).
Others were 61 containers of log of wood; 2,600 pieces of imported school bags; 97 pieces of 14 stroke engine generator and used fridges; 3,550 cartons of foreign frozen poultry products; 992 bales of second hand clothings; 897 cartons of foreign detergents and creams as well as 167 pairs of foot wear.
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