*Pangolin Scales, Elephant Tusks Intercepted  as one Chinese, 16 other Suspects are Arrested

The Customs Area Controller, CAC, Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Lagos, Controller Mohammed Uba, has again demonstrated that smugglers and importers who still believe that they could make profit by passing through the window when the door is wide open are far from present day realities of technology and automation which have continued to shrink trading borders and eliminate barriers.

some of the seized cars

In apparent confirmation of his words that smugglers with Zone are in for a rough time, the Command has again intercepted several exotic cars, seven trailer load of Rice, used clothes, tyres, vegetable oil and others.

A Pangolin

Also, 2, 001kg of Pangolin Scales (in 55 sacks, with a market value of over N408m) and 218 (343kg) of Elephant Tusks (valued over N85m) are also part of items intercepted by the Command in course of their operations within the Zone in the month of February 2018, with a total  Duty Paid Value, DPV, of N1,035, 232, 046.13

While the endangered animal parts were recovered in an apartment off Allen Avenue in Lagos, the cars were intercepted along Ijebu-Ode Expressway and car marts in Lagos.

Comptroller Mohammed Uba disclosed that international protocols and conventions empowers Customs Administrations globally to protect and conserve wild life by enforcing such conventions which Prohibit the killing of Endangered Species such as Elephants, Pangolins and other reptiles.

The seized scales and tusks were handed over to the Nigerian Environmental Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency, NESREA for further investigation and necessary actions.

The CAC Handing over the Elephant Tusks and Pangolin Scales to a NESREA official

The controller also told newsmen that a 40ft container was also seized for false declaration while 17 suspect including a Chinese national, Mr. KO Sin Ying are in detention in connection with the seizures.

Through its interventions and intelligence work, the FOU team recovered N67, 945, 158.00 from demand notices raised on imports intercepted while on the verge of exiting the ports and some discovered under declarations.

The FOU Anti-Smuggling Czar warned smugglers to desist from their wicked activities within Zone A or face outright liquidation from business. He enjoined the public to report suspicious movements and characters who engage in nocturnal activities.

Uba reiterated that there will be no hiding place for non-complaint importers in  Zone “A’ if they do not repent and follow approved guidelines of importing cargo into the country.