Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs recently recorded seizures amounting to a total duty paid value of N7,653,948.56 within a week along the creeks.
Suspected smugglers were said to have abandoned the seized items in wooden boats being used as means of conveyance
The seizures according to a press statement signed by Emmanuel Tangwa, Customs Public Relations Officer for the command includes foreign parboiled rice and vegetable oil seized along Bawe and Akere creeks all in one week
A breakdown of the seizures indicates a total of 571 bags of foreign rice in 50kg each and 49 kegs of 25kg litres of vegetable oil.
Tangwa attributed the recent feat to a combination of tact, intelligence and strict enforcement deployed by the Customs Area Controller, Sarkin Kebbi to combat smuggling along the waters of the Western zone.
He said the Controller has intensified a round the clock patrol on waters to keep smugglers in check all day round.
”Our command headquarters joint patrol teams on a routine 24hrs patrol of the water-ways and creeks intercepted the smugglers in the Bawe/Akere creeks. The smugglers being experts on water abandoned the items on loaded wooden canoes and dived into the waters.
”The above seizure indicates that the new strategies introduced by the Customs Area Controller (CAC) are paying off.
”The CAC, Compt Sarkin-kebbi, M.M says his determination to fight and suppress smuggling activities through the water-ways will continue and the 24hrs patrol of the creeks and the water-ways will go on.
