Customs records seizures worth N1.2bn in 7 months

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Operatives of Zone D of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) made no fewer than 88 seizures worth N1,178,821,033 between January 30 and August 9, 2023.

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According to the acting FOU controller, Joseph Adelaja, the items seized by the operatives included 174,585 litres of petroleum products, nine sacks of pangolin scales and claws (weighing 396.4 kg), 1,800 bags of sugar (50kg) each, 343 bags of fertiliser, and 328 bags of 50 kg of foreign parboiled rice, among others.

Addressing journalists at the zonal headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Bauchi on Wednesday, Adelaja said the seizures were made pursuant to the implementation of government fiscal policies and the suppression of smuggling in the zone.

According to him: “In accordance with the strategic role of Customs in enforcing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), which came into being in 1973, in line with Section 55, subsection (1) paragraph (1) sub-paragraph (1) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 (NCSA 2023) and also Schedule 6 of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) 2022-2026, the unit intercepted nine sacks of Pangolin scales and claws weighing 396.4kg. Others are two live birds (African Crowned Cranes), one live Antelope, one piece of lion bone, and a plastic container of lion fat.”

The zonal controller further added that pursuant to Section 55 subsection (1) paragraph (c) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 (NCSA 2023), the NCS operatives intercepted “88 cartons of insecticides, 342 packs of foreign candy, 190 cartons of flavoured powdered drinks, 23 sacks of used shoes, and 1,800 bags of sugar (50kg) each.”

Other seized items, according to him, include 343 bags of fertiliser, 328 bags of 50 kg of foreign parboiled rice, 66 cartons of foreign soap, 50 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 54 Jerry cans of foreign vegetable oil (25 litres each), three units of imported vehicles, 11 vehicles as means of conveyance, and 174,585 litres of petroleum products.

“The cumulative Duty Paid Value of all the seized items stands at N1,178,821,033,” he stated.

Customs records seizures worth N1.2bn in 7 months