The Nigeria Customs Service in Ogun State has impounded 115 smuggled goods including 11 trailers of rice, 19,806 litres of petrol and 29 artefacts worth N231, 218, 506 between January and February.
The Customs Area Controller of Ogun 1 Area Command, Bamidele Makinde said a media briefing that the command generated N28,445,757 in revenue from import duties, auctions, and sales of scrap vehicles and petroleum products during the period.
He said the seizures comprise 19,806 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 18 units of used vehicles for the conveyance of smuggled goods, 64 sacks and 824 wraps of book, bread and coconut sizes and 10 big and 19 small pieces of artefacts.
Other seizures made, according to the Area controller, were one unit of motorcycles used as the conveyance of prohibited items, 73 bales of second-hand clothing, 14 sacks of foreign-used shoes, 900 foreign-used tyres and 520 cartons of frozen poultry products.
The Area Controller attributed the achievements recorded to the command’s resolve pursuant to its core mandate of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling and trade facilitation in Ogun State.
“The Command generated N28,445,757.00 through import duties, auction sales of scrap vehicles and Petroleum products.
“The relentless anti-smuggling campaign of the command has continued to improve our seizure profile.
“In the period under review, the command recorded 115 seizures which include 6,743 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each which is an equivalent of 11 trailer loads.
“Some of the other seizures recorded during the period under review include the following: 19,806 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 18 units of used vehicles used for the conveyance of smuggled goods, 64 sacks and 824 wraps of book, bread and coconut of sized Cannabis Sativa, 10 big pieces and 19 small pieces of artefacts, one unit of motorcycles used for the conveyance of prohibited items, 73 bale’s of second-hand clothing, 14 sacks of foreign used shoes, 900 pieces of foreign used tyres, 520 cartons of frozen Poultry products.
“The seizures were made at different locations such as the Abeokuta axis, Ilaro axis and Ipokia/Idiroko axis, among others. The total Duty Payable Value (DPV) of the seizures is N231,218,506.00″, Makinde stated.
He affirmed the commitment of the command to maintaining synergy with our sister agencies across the state and maintenance of good community relations with the traditional rulers, community leaders and the youths.
Makinde added that the command will continue to facilitate legitimate trade urging residents to avoid any form of illicit trade that could adversely affect the economy and tarnish their reputation.
Story and photo: The PUNCH
