The Comptroller, Customs Federal Operation Unit Zone “B” Kaduna, Mustapha Sarkin-Kebbi, on Tuesday said 400 bags of smuggled rice and 600 bags of fertilizer had been intercepted in the zone in the last two weeks.
Sarkin-Kebbi said that the unit’s operatives attached to Ilorin/Jebba/Mokwa axis discovered new antics deployed by smugglers to evade arrest in carrying out their nefarious activities.
“Large quantity of smuggled rice were criminally sandwiched between watermelons in two trucks, which further examination revealed were 400 bags of 50kg rice each.”
Sarkin-Kebbi said this in a statement signed by Mr. Abubakar Usman, the command’s Public Relations Officer, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
“Our officers arrested two trucks laden with 140 units of refurbished gas cylinders smuggled into the country from the Niger Republic.
“Another truckload of NPK fertilizer was arrested along Jibia/Agangaro axis of Katsina State and after 100 percent physical examination, the vehicle was found to contain 600 bags of NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer smuggled into the country, ” he said.
According to Sarkin-Kebbi, NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer falls under the import prohibition list order and bringing in such product violates section 46 of Customs Excise and Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45 LFN 2004.
The Comptroller said that any goods imported, landed or unloaded contrary to any prohibition shall be forfeited as stated in the section.
He said that other items seized where 200 pieces of used tyres, 90 bales of second-hand items of clothing and 322 kegs of vegetable oil along the Katsina/Kano axis.
The comptroller said that the unit had resolved to adopt more strategies to vigorously combat smuggling activities in the zone.
Source: NAN
