The Federal Operations Unit, FOU Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS has arrested 13 suspects in connection with 50 contraband with Duty Paid Value, DPV worth N463 million seized by men of the Unit in the month of July. Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Unit, Hussein Ejibunu who disclosed this yesterday while speaking with journalists, listed the seized items to include 5,642 X 50 kilograms KG bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 9 trailer loads), 18,925 litres (757 X 25 litres jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit), 20 pieces of pistol pouches and 15 pieces of bulletproof jackets. Ejibunu said other items seized are 15 pieces of jack knives, 49 cartons of children school shoes, 181(87 kg) parcels of Indian Hemp, 357 kegs X 5 litres of vegetable oil, one unit of Honda Motorcycle and two used (Tokumbo) vehicles.
According to him, “50 seizures were made within the period under review for non-compliance with the extant Customs laws. The total Duty Paid Value, DPV of the seized goods stood at N463 million.While the sum of N66.5 million was recovered as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of Demand Notices, DN on Customs duties that were discovered to be underpaid. 13 suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures, and are at different stages of investigations and prosecution.
“I will also handover three suspects and cannabis sativa with a net weight of 7,728 kilogrammes to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Lagos State Command; for further investigation and prosecution. The showcasing of the seized items is aimed at discouraging the business of smuggling because it is capable of destroying our national economy, and could adversely affect our living standards. The criminal business of smuggling mainly favours only a selfish few who do not mean well for our country,” he noted.
