The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos has revealed that itNCS generated N2.5b between January to June 2017.
The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Comptroller Mohammed Uba, in a statement said having intensified its anti-smuggling operations it intercepted various contraband with duty paid value of N1, 295,600,724.95.
HE said that the unit through its interventions recovered N1,286,730,671.90 from duty payments and demand notices on general goods that tried to beat the system from seaports, airport and border stations through wrong classification, transfer of value, and shortchange in duty payment that are meant for the Federal Government of Nigeria, making a cumulative of N2,582,331,396.9.
“In the Months under review, 95 suspects were arrested in connection to these seizures and 475 different seizures were recorded comprising foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp, arms, fake pharmaceutical/medicaments and various general merchandise.
Similarly, Comptroller Uba commended the commitment and diligence of the Officers and Men of the FOU ‘A’ for thwarting the antics of some dare devil smugglers who used different methods for concealment.
He charged all his officers to be professional and diligent in performing their statutory responsibilities; most especially in the area of anti-smuggling operations by making sure all revenue linkages are blocked.
Comptroller Uba added that smuggling is a global phenomenon, which cannot be curbed entirely but can be brought to its barest minimum.
He called on all the members of the forth estate of the realm and the general public to continue the partnership with Nigeria Customs Service in the advocacy campaign against the evil of smuggling to the nation’s economy and provides necessary intelligence that could assist the NCS.
