The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, has revealed that it intercepted 11 imported used vehicles and various contraband items with a combined value of N854 million in January.
Hussein Ejibunu, the Customs Area Controller overseeing the command, made this disclosure in a statement issued on Tuesday, detailing the unit’s activities for the month.
During the period under review, the command recorded a total of 60 seizures, encompassing a range of contraband items. These seizures underscore the ongoing efforts by customs officials to combat smuggling activities across the country.
Smuggling, classified as a criminal offense, encompasses a variety of illicit activities such as false declaration and concealment of goods, utilization of unapproved routes and ports for importation or exportation, fabrication of customs documents, deliberate underpayment of customs duties, and trafficking in prohibited or restricted goods.
In 2023, the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A reported 1,119 different seizures, leading to 136 arrests and 16 convictions. These seizures, with a total duty paid value of N10 billion, highlight the significant impact of customs enforcement efforts in curbing illicit trade.
Ejibunu further revealed that in January alone, 10 suspects were apprehended in connection with the various seizures. The intercepted items included 3,653 bags of foreign parboiled rice, equivalent to 6.5 trailer loads, as well as 23,025 liters of petroleum motor spirit, among others.
Additional confiscated items comprised 241 bales of used clothes, 1,490 kilograms of Indian hemp, 1,220 cartons of foreign tomato paste, 983 pieces of used tires, 104 units of Haojuo motorcycles, 556 cartons of slippers, and 11 units of used vehicles.
The Customs Area Controller emphasized that the seized goods violated different sections of the Customs Act (2023), with some items found to be expired at the time of importation, while others breached statutory import guidelines.
Furthermore, the command was able to generate N83 million through documentary checks and issuance of demand notices on consignments identified to have been short-paid.
Ejibunu urged the public to be mindful of the consequences of smuggling and its adverse effects on the economy, emphasizing the importance of awareness in reducing the demand for smuggled goods and discouraging participation in smuggling activities.
He called for enhanced collaboration and partnership with stakeholders to improve intelligence gathering and information sharing, crucial elements in the ongoing fight against smuggling. Additionally, he highlighted the activation of an enhanced intelligence gathering mechanism to identify new smuggling hot spots and tactics employed by smugglers, underscoring the unit’s commitment to intensify its efforts in combating illicit trade.
