Nigeria Customs Seizes Smuggled Goods Worth N107 Million in 28 Days

Ikeja (NAN) – The Customs Federal Operations Unit (F.O.U.), Zone ‘A’ Ikeja , says it intercepted 336 units of smuggled goods valued at N107 million between July 13 and Aug. 9.

In a statement on Friday in Lagos, Usman Turaki, Acting Controller of the unit, said 19 suspects were being interrogated in connection with the seizures.

Turaki said that the seized goods had a payable duty of N42.94 million with a duty paid value of N150.45 million.

He advised smugglers to channel their resources to more meaningful ventures instead of smuggling.

According to him, the seizures include seven trucks of jumbo bales of textile materials impounded from a warehouse in Oshodi.

Turaki said that on July 21, the Oyo Patrol Team of the unit intercepted two trucks loaded with 1,737 bags of smuggled rice on Basi-Iseyin Road.

He said the Duty Payable Value (DPV) of the rice was N11.10 million, adding that over 2,000 cartoons of smuggled foreign poultry products were also intercepted on the Lagos- Abeokuta Expressway.

The controller said that the unit had identified some flashpoints and had mounted aggressive patrol activities to ensure that all flanks were blocked.

“I am advising smugglers in the South West to relocate or else they would face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

Turaki said that genuine importers or their representatives would always enjoy the support of the unit to facilitate legitimate trade in line with global best practices.