The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, has reported the interception of 11 imported used vehicles and various contraband valued at N854 million in January.
Hussein Ejibunu, the Customs Area Controller of the command, revealed this in a statement on Tuesday, emphasizing that the unit made a total of 60 seizures during the period, consisting of different contraband items.
Smuggling encompasses various criminal activities such as false declaration, concealment of goods, use of unapproved routes and ports, forging of customs documents, under-payment of duties, and trafficking in prohibited or restricted goods.
In 2023, FOU Zone A made 1,119 seizures, 136 arrests, and 16 convictions, with a total duty paid value of N10 billion. In the first month of 2024, 10 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
Additional seized items included 3,653 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 23,025 litres of petroleum motor spirit, 241 bales of used clothes, 1,490 kg of Indian hemp, 1,220 cartons of foreign tomato paste, 983 pieces of used tyres, 104 units of motorcycles, 556 cartons of slippers, and 11 units of used vehicles.
Ejibunu highlighted that the confiscated goods violated sections of the Customs Act (2023) and some were expired at the time of importation, while others breached import guidelines.
Furthermore, the NCS generated N83 million through documentary checks and demand notice issuance on underpaid consignments during the reviewed period.
Emphasizing the harmful effects of smuggling, Ejibunu urged the public to be aware of the consequences and advocated for collaboration and information sharing to combat smuggling activities. The NCS also intensified intelligence gathering to identify new smuggling hot spots and tactics employed by smugglers.
