As the yuletide season approaches, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has intensified its war against smugglers as it recorded goods worth N187 million goods in one week.
Controller of the unit, Comptroller Sani Madugu who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos described officers and men of the unit as “a bunch of highly dedicated and committed officers”, physically and spiritually in tune with him, to make the season a black yuletide for smugglers.
“The command is leaving no stone unturned in the campaign against smuggling. Our approach is aimed at blocking the supply chains of smugglers of uncustomed goods and ensuring a sustained suppression of smuggling to the barest minimum”, he said.
The items seized include 10,029 bags of 50kg parboiled rice valued at N50.1million with a payable duty of N15 million.
The unit also seized 3,470 cartons of smuggled frozen poultry products valued at N15.6m with a payable duty of N3 million; two vehicles valued at N70million with a payable duty of N24.5 million.
Other items include 334 bales and 54 of new and used textile materials, cartons of assorted soap, 178 cartons of sugar; 140 of Bonita spaghetti; 70 cartons of Baron wine and 30 cartons of tin tomatoes with duty paid value of N6.3m; N148,000; N854,400.00; N168,000.00; N312,000.00; N108,000.00 respectively.
He said the unit has some strategies to tackle the issue of smuggling in the country though he did not disclose the strategies; he assured that the unit will leave no stone unturned in the campaign against smuggling.
Answering questions on his plans for this ember months when business activities are generally expected to be on increase, the Controller reiterated his determination to restore and re-enact the operational sagacity of the Unit.
He attributed the successes recorded in the past one week to the synergy and collaboration between his team leaders.
He disclosed that his Surveillance team on the Idiroko axis, led by Chief Superintendent of Customs, Balogun Babatunde had just recorded a seizure of 1,289 bags of 50kg parboiled rice and a Toyota Avalon armored car with a DPV of N62,378,500.00; just as another patrol team monitoring Idiroko ‘B’ Axis led by Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Ogundeyi Najim and others while on information patrol along Sango Ota and toll gate area of Ogun State intercepted a truck with registration no JJJ 966 XK suspected to be carrying smuggled frozen poultry products, which upon examination revealed 3,275 cartons of smuggled frozen poultry products with a Duty Paid Value of N17,685,000.
“We are going to be more ruthless in the coming months to ensure that smuggled goods are not allowed to flood the country. We are also, going to continually develop appropriate operational templates which will be regularly reviewed and evaluated to ensure alliance with the change mantra of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali and his management team,” he said.
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