As Unit makes N1.8b in January

In what appears to be sign of things to come, the Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos, Comptroller Mohammed Uba has disclosed that following intensified operational efforts by officers and men of the Customs Anti-Smuggling Unit,  various contraband with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Billion, Six Hundred and Eighteen Million, One Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty One Naira, Fifty Kobo (N1,618,177,661.50) only in January 2018.

Within the period, 31 assorted vehicles, 8,400 bags of foreign parboiled rice (about 14 trailers) 1,652 cartons of frozen poultry products, 835 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 10 sacks bag of Indian Hemp, 2,208 pieces of used tyres, 159 bale of used clothing among others.

The intercepted vehicles Valued at N1.4b  include 4 Rolls Royce, 1 Porche  Panamera, 1 Jaguar, 1 Bentley, 2 Lexus Jeep , 2 G wagon, 1 Toyota Land Cruiser, 5 Toyota Corolla, 7 Mercedes Benz among others mostly 2017 models.

The CAC stated that while some of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway, others were evacuated from various raids in Parkview estate, Victoria Island,  Banana Island, Alhaji Bankole Crescent Ikeja and Tola Adewunmi Street Maryland.

Notwithstanding that Customs is guided empowered by provisions of Sections 147 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (power to search premises) and Section 158 of CEMA, Cap 45 Laws of Federation of Nigeria (power to patrol freely), Controller Uba challenged owners of the Vehicles to come forward with supporting documents and claim them.

In the course of the Unit’s operations last month, two containers were seized. While 1/20ft container no. GATU132358/4 was seized for carrying 537 cartons of Indian Whisky as against yeast as declared,  another1/40ft container no TCLU172184/3 was seized for carrying  60 pieces of used Chest freezers and 570 bundles of gas hose as against condensers. These, the controller said, are clear cases of false declarations hence their seizure by Customs.

Uba also revealed that “Within the period under review, we have also recovered N91.4m bringing the total revenue from our interventions to N1.7b in January 2018. Ten person arrested in connection with the seizures are in detention while inter agency collaborations/synergy continues in furtherance of our respective mandates”. Uba said.

The FOU Boss warned smugglers to repent and stop destroying the economy. He was emphatic that 2018 will be rough and very tough for smugglers who fail to heed Customs warnings.