By Our Correspondent
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, says it intercepted various contrabands with duty paid value (DPV) of N2.2 billion in two months since April.
The Controller in charge of the zone, Comptroller Kolapo Oladeji, announced the seizure while briefing newsmen, on Tuesday, in Lagos.
TheNewsZenith also reports that the Customs Unit also arrested a suspected fake customs officer, who is allegedly defrauding many rice dealers.
The self-acclaimed customs officer has been defrauding unsuspecting citizens. The impersonator claimed he was the officer in charge of rice auctioning.
According to Oladeji, some victims of the impersonator had reported his illegal claims and activities, which made it possible for the Customs Unit to effect his arrest.
Oladeji said the Unit arrested 20 suspects in connection with the seized goods.
According to him, the smuggled goods were seized from April 19 to May 28.
He listed the seized goods to include 914 Jerry cans (25 litres each) of petrol, equivalent to 22,850 litres and 10,372 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice.
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The Unit also seized 27 assorted tokunbo vehicles.
Also seized included 2,152 cartons of foreign frozen products, six units of imported used trucks and 625kg of Cannabis Sativa.
“Customs operatives also recovered N81.8 million cash through meticulous documentary checks on goods,” the Comptroller said.
Oladeji promised smugglers that tougher days had just begun for them.
He lamented that smugglers have undermined the efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service in revenue generation to the government coffers.
The FOU made the seizure and arrest at Ojo-Odan, Ijebu-Ode, Badagry, Agbara, Idiroko and Oyo among other areas.
He commended officers and men of the command for their gallant efforts. The Comptroller also commended sister agencies for cooperating with Nigeria Customs.
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