Customs intercepts 12 trailer loads of Rice, 35,100 liters of PMS, other items
By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal operations unit zone A of Nigeria customs service said it has intercepted approximately Twelve Trailer loads of foreign parboiled Rice in October 6, 2023 and other various items in September at various locations , times and within the boarder areas of coverage of FOU zone A .
Comptroller General of Nigeria customs service, Adewale Adeniyi disclosed this on Friday while taking journalists on inspection of the various items.
He said “Agriculture, being the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, underscores the federal government’s commitment to achieving self-sustaining growth and enhancing the quality of life for all Nigerians.
In alignment with this commitment and the spirit of patriotism, our dedicated officers executed a series of operations resulting in the interception and seizure of 7,029 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice. These decisive actions took place at various times and locations within the border corridors of the South-Western states.
The objective was two fold: to discourage potential traders from engaging in smuggling activities and to inflict financial losses on active smugglers.
He added that beyond the parboiled rice seizures, our operations yielded significant results in September, with the interception of various goods. These include 35,100 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS), 1,100 liters of diesel, one 40-foot container carrying 360 bales of used clothes, one 40-foot container containing 150 cartons of ladies’ handbags, 50 bales of nickers and other falsely declared items
Also includes one 20-foot container of unprocessed wood, 106 cartons of foreign frozen poultry, 55 pieces of used fridges, 110 pieces of used compressors, 148 cartons of foreign soap121 cartons of expired hair oil, 25 units of vehicles (Tokunbo).
Adewale also said that investigations into some of these seizures are ongoing. Fourteen suspects have been apprehended in connection with various offenses, including violating import/export guidelines, concealment, undervaluation, wrong classification, smuggling, and contravening policy directives.
“The cumulative duty paid value of the intercepted goods amounts to an impressive One Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty-five Million, Eighty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety-eight Naira (1,755,080,898).
Furthermore, the Unit generated Seventy-two Million, Eight Hundred and Seven Thousand, Twenty-five Naira, Eleven Kobo (N72,807,025.11) in revenue through meticulous documentary checks and the issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have paid lesser amounts than the appropriate customs duty.
He then urged Importers and licensed agents to make sincere declarations, adhere to existing import and export guidelines, and avoid the risk of losing their investments. Compliance is not only a legal obligation but also a strategic choice that ensures the smooth and efficient flow of goods across our borders.
