N1bn contraband: Customs arrest 129 smugglers

The anti-smuggling unit of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Zone C, Owerri, has recorded 226 seizures of contraband items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1,016,833,292. The command also arrested 129 suspects in connection with the smuggling of various goods between January and June this year. Already, 118 cases are still pending in various courts in the zone. The Area Controller, Comptroller Victor David Dimka, disclosed this while presenting the first half of the year account of the command’s performance. Dimka listed the contraband as including: Vehicles, 990 bales of textiles and second hand clothing, 126 packages of furniture and 296 bales of fairly used bags and suitcases worth N456,704,500; N101,805,700; N19,584,000 and N30,143,400 respectively.

The list also included 3,905 pieces of used tyres amounting to N53,502,100; 2,126 cartons of imported frozen poultry products worth N30,566,804; 1,731 bags of 50 kilogrames rice valued at N35,678,600; besides beverages and juice worth N72,000. There was also an additional 2,686 pieces of used footwear estimated at N6,253,800; 37 cartons of foreign soap/ detergents; 202 cartons of foreign vegetable oil amounting to N6,874,020. Others included electrical and electronics spare parts with used fridges and compressors; and machinery, specially used for concealing the items, worth N303,391,772. He warned smugglers to either desist from their illicit trades, move out of the zone, or continue to forfeit their capitals to government. Dimka explained that the command made a total of 63 seizures with a DPV of N337,368,522.00) in March, which was the highest seizure. He noted that 25 suspected smugglers were also arrested within the period.

It was revealed that the command, in January, made 37 seizures with a DPV of N176,483,600, raised the seizures to 40 in February, with a DPV of N136,708,650; and in April, recorded 37 seizures, with a DPV of N83,302,620. The comptroller attributed the massive seizures made in March to an apparent stronger quest for materialism by the suspects involved in an ever-increasing corruption- prone society. He expressed genuine concern at the persistent cases of smuggling in the country, despite obvious stiff penalties for those arrested. While appealing to members of the public for cooperation and support in the onslaught against smuggling, he reiterated that the NCS was better trained, equipped and transformed to meet its challenges. Dimka commended the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, for his sustained motivation and support to men of the NCS in the discharge of their duties, stressing that these have all the more strengthened their spirit and commitment in the fight against smuggling.