‘Customs impounds 4.3M contrabands daily’

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Acting Controller of the Federal Operations Unit (F.O.U.) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja,   Mr Usman Turaki at the weekend said that the command made 336 seizures of various goods and items valued at N107 million in the last one month.

Turaki addressing newsmen in Lagos said the Customs anti- smuggling commands recorded N4.3m contraband on daily average.

The Acting Controller said the feat covered the period between July 13, when he assumed office and August 9, 2014.

He said his officers and men, based on intelligence -enhanced tip-off, intercepted seven trucks of Jumbo bales of suspected textile materials from a warehouse around Oshodi.

He said the goods had a payable duty of N42.94 million with a duty paid value of N150.45 million, urging smugglers who could not take to honest jobs, to relocate to other parts of the country where they might find things easier.

“We apprehended, in the same period, a total of 19 suspects in connection with these seizures.

“Comparatively speaking, this report shows over 65 per cent positive difference when compared with the report of the corresponding period in 2013,’’ Turaki posited, adding that he had  now identified some flashpoints and mounted aggressive patrol activities to ensure that all flanks were blocked.

Turaki further indicated that on Monday, July 21, the Oyo axis Patrol Team on routine patrol along Basi Iseyin Road, intercepted two trucks with 1,737 bags of rice smuggled through unapproved routes with a Duty Payable Value (DPV) of N11.10 million.

While earlier, on July 9, a patrol team from the unit had intercepted one articulated truck suspected to be carrying over 2,000 cartons of smuggled foreign poultry products.

The interception of the products which was along the Lagos- Abeokuta Express-way, resulted in a seizure valued at N9 million with a payable duty of N1.8 million, and a DPV of N10.8 million.

“On Thursday, Aug. 14, following a tip-off, the Lagos Roving Patrol Team, intercepted seven trucks of Jumbo bales of suspected textile materials from a warehouse around Oshodi.

“ the trucks have been deposited in the government warehouse for further investigation. Although, the value cannot be ascertained for now,’’ Turaki said.

“I am advising smugglers in the South West to relocate or else they would face the full wrath of the law.

“We have spread our dragnets to all the nooks and crannies of our areas of jurisdiction and will not stop at dealing with the menace,” he warned.

Turaki who said the unit was complementing the efforts of the other Customs Commands in ensuring that there was total compliance with the fiscal policies of the Federal Government in terms of trade, however assured genuine and compliant importers and their representatives of every support of the Service, stressing that the unit was committed to facilitating legitimate trade in line with local and international expectations.