Customs Seize ₦‎3.6 Billion Bulletproof Jackets, Drugs in Ogun

 

The Zone A Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, announced that it intercepted 150 cartons of bulletproof jackets worth N1.687bn.

Addressing journalists in Ikeja, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the unit, Kola Oladeji, said the contrabands were intercepted along the Ijebuode-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State.

Oladeji explained that each carton contains 10 packs of the jacket, adding that these contrabands were seized in June.

He explained that under Schedule 4 of the Customs Common External Tariff, the importation of all kinds of military wares by individuals was under absolute prohibition.

“An end-user certificate is required for the importation of controlled items and products into Nigeria and it comes from the Office of the National Security Adviser,” Oladeji said.

Oladeji vowed that the unit was working on credible intelligence to get the importers of these contrabands.

Oladeji said the unit also intercepted kilograms of cannabis sativa and expired drugs within the period under review.

Our dedicated officers also intercepted 989kg of cannabis sativa and 5,229 cartoons of expired drugs.

According to him, some of the interceptions took place at various times and locations within states in the South-West.

“Other items seized include, 343,750 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 7,150 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 32 units of used vehicles, 120 bags of sugar, 3,560 cartons of poultry products,” the Oladeji said.

He stated that four suspects were arrested in connection with the various offenses, “including violating import/export guidelines, concealment, wrong classification, smuggling, and contravening policy directives,”

He disclosed that the cumulative duty paid value of the various intercepted goods amounts to N3.6bn.

Oladeji said the unit also recovered the sum of N62m as revenue for June 2024 through documentary checks and the issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have paid lesser amounts than the appropriate duties.

He urged Nigerians to provide the service with useful and timely information that would lead to the arrest of illegal importation of military wares, illicit drugs, and counterfeit goods.

Importer and licensed agent are also urged To make sincere declarations,adhere To existing import and export guidelines, and avoid the risk of losing their goods,,he said

Customs Seize Rice-Laden Dangote Truck, Other Contraband Worth N373m In Ogun, Lagos

The Comptroller General of Customs Strike Force, Team A unit on Thursday revealed that it’s officers seized a Dangote truck loaded with 250 bags of banned imported rice and other items worth N373,629,700 within four weeks at different locations in Ogun and Lagos States.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, Controller of the CGC Strike Force Team A, Deputy Comptroller Mohammed Sani Yusuf explained that amongst the seized items include three 20ft containers of Timber, 1000 bags of 50kg rice, 3,143 pieces of used tyres, 320 bale’s of used clothing, 44 sacks of Donkey hides, and 137.3kg of Indian Hemp

According to Controller Yusuf, “I am happy to state that within a period of four weeks, the reconstituted Strike Force Team ‘A’ has collected the sum of N648, 300,986.00 as revenue through demand notices. It also made seizures worth a total duty paid value (DPV) of N373, 629,700.

I want to reiterate, very sternly that we don’t believe in settling down before executing our task in a sensitive assignment as this. Smugglers who thought they could take advantage of the recent changes to carry out their unlawful trade were disappointed.

“it is pertinent for me to advise importers, licensed customs agents and freight forwarders to imbibe and always operate on good business etiquette by making sincere declarations all the time. With us on the ground, there will be no hiding place for those wishing to cut corners. They should always acquaint themselves and be guided by policies of the Federal Government and be abreast with the import and export prohibition lists. We will not take ignorance as an excuse under any guise.

“We are working 24 hours from day one and they have us to contend with any time they dare to carry out their illicit activities either at night or in the day. | am happy to declare that our operatives are relentless and uncompromising as far as this task is concerned.

“This is just the beginning of heated anti-smuggling action which we have embarked upon in the entire South West area of the country. We are ready to run smugglers out of town with the full support and encouragement of our CGC, Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali, Rtd. This task is aimed at protecting our national economy and preventing dangerous importation as well as exportation that contradicts the law.

“Our patrolling and interdiction capacity is recharged for round the clock operation against smugglers and anyone attempting to circumvent the due process of import and export,” he said