The Seme area command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday announced a revenue and seizure of contraband goods worth N1.055 billion in the month of December 2018.
Disclosing this to journalists at Seme, Controller of the command, Comptroller Muhammed Uba, said the command generated the sum of N623 million, representing about 92 percent of the command’s target allocated.
He said among the seized items recorded within the period include 22 fairly used vehicles and six means of conveyance, 6,753 bags of 50kg foreign rice which is equivalent to over 11 trailer truck valued at N157 million, 25 jerry cans of vegetable oil worth N573, 750 and 50kg bags of sugar with a Duty Paid Value ( DPV) N567, 000.
Others are 25 litres of PMS with DPV of N106,500, 21 cartons of tinned tomatoes worth N127,575, two sacks of used shoes worth N67,500 and 91 parcels of hard drugs/narcotics which he said have been handed over to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He added, “Notable amongst the seized vehicles are Toyota Coaster Van (2014 model), Toyota Landcruiser Prado (2011), Mercedes Benz GLK 350 (2010), Toyota Sienna (2013), Toyota 4Runner (2014) and a host of others. The combined duty paid value (DPV) for the vehicles stands at N177,314,091. The gand total for both seizures and revenue is N1.055 billion.”
Comptroller Uba said seven suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures, adding that “one of the suspects Difo Kenneth Cornelius who was transferred to the NDLEA Seme Command in August 2018 has been prosecuted successly and is imprisomed for a term of two years on 30th November 2018 for unlawfull possession of 7kg of cannabis.”
He said wiith the inauguration and subsequent movement of the command to the Joint Border Post of Seme-Krake, the operations of the command will be further enhanced through cooperation, collaboration and regional integration by facilitating the free movement of persons and services, reduction of trade and logistic costs, increasing inter- regional trade, increase of government revenue by eliminating trade barriers, reduction of delays, operating cost and availability of baseline data for impact assessment.
He assured that the command will not only surpassed this year’s revenue target but will further strengthen its anti-smuggling operations against trans-border crimes through intelligence driven operations and continuous partnerships with other relevant agencies for effective border management to stem the unlawful activities of “daredevil criminals”
“We however assure members of both local and business communities that the command will increase dialogue, enlightenment and robust stakeholder engagements for seamless operations through the modern Joint Border Post. Furthermore, customs personnel will remain stationed at strategic and approved points to assist in facilitation of legitimate trading activities and equally ensure adequate security,” he said.
