The fight against smuggling received a boost on Wednesday as the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) announced it has intercepted assorted contraband items worth N67million.
The seizures were made within seven days.
In a statement by the FoU Zone A spokesman, Jerry Attah, this period represented the first week of assumption of office of the Acting Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Usman Yahaya.
“His quest for outstanding performance using credible intelligence has begun to yield positive results with the interception of 2,065 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 25 liters each; 1,185 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice; 1500 jerry cans (25lts) of diesel; all with a duty paid value of N67, 362, 500 between January 7 and 14 along different unapproved routes within our areas of coverage.
“This feat is coming as a result of series of meetings held with our sectional heads, team/patrol leaders where he unveiled the management’s mandate bestowed on him which includes blockage of all revenue leakages, trade facilitation and intensification of anti-smuggling operations at various entry points: seaports, land borders, and Airport within our areas of jurisdiction in the Southwest zone,” Yahaya said.
He warned smugglers of the dangers ahead for them if they did not engage in legitimate trade.
He called on the public to support the fight against smuggling by providing necessary intelligence that could assist the service in reducing smuggling to its barest minimum.
