The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A Ikeja, said it recorded 707 seizures of different contrabands with a duty-paid value of N18.7bn from January 2024 to December.
Addressing journalists in Ikeja on Monday, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the unit, Kola Oladeji, disclosed that the seizures demonstrate the command’s quest to bring perpetrators to justice and also ensure deterrence from illicit trade.
Giving details of the seizures, he said that within the period under review, the command intercepted 48,912 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 50kg each, and 191,975 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol.
“Others include, 7,861kg of cannabis sativa, 6,168 pieces of dry donkey skins, 37,630 sachets of tramadol, 207 units of vehicles, 6,755 cartons of foreign frozen poultry products, 1,433 bales of used clothes, 1,773 units of used refrigerator compressors, 317 cartons of illicit medicament,”
Oladeji added that some of the vehicles were arrested for incomplete duty payment and the vehicles were, “later cleared after payment of outstanding duty.”
He said that the sum of N1.012bn was generated through careful documentary checks and issuance of demand notices to consignments that were found to have underpaid duty.
According to him, this underscores the importance of careful monitoring and intelligence in preventing smuggling and ensuring that all imports are properly declared and taxed.
“94 defendants were arrested in connection with some of the seizures, and six persons have been convicted for various offenses,” Oladeji added.
This he said demonstrates the command’s quest to bring perpetrators to justice and also ensure deterrence from illicit trade.
He mentioned that the newly inaugurated “Operation Swift Sting” has recorded remarkable success in the fight against illicit cross-border trade with impressive interception and arrest in just two weeks.
“It is clear that team is delivering unbearable heat to the smuggling cartel at the same time ensuring the facilitation of compliant trade with an impressive outcome,” he said.
Oladeji pointed out that smuggling operations that employ ingenious concealment methods could have significant impact on the nation’s economy and security if not checked with modern intelligence tools.
He, however, called on all citizens to support its anti-smuggling efforts by providing useful and timely information on illicit cross-border trade.
He maintained that in the course of fighting the menace of smuggling, the command also raised awareness about its dangers and the importance of complying with customs regulations.
Oladeji vowed that the command remains resolute in protecting the nation’s economy, security, and health through coordinated synergy with relevant stakeholders.
