Ogun Customs seizes N1.3b smuggled items, generates N93m revenue
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A total 392 items, including five luxury buses, were seized and seven smuggling suspects arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Ohumbe land border in Ogun in the first half of the year to June (H1 2023).
Besides, 22,526 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice were intercepted, according to Ogun Area 1 Controller Bamidele Makinde who disclosed the seizures were worth a cumulative Duty Paid Value of N1,313,628,488.
The command also generated N93,301,130 revenue from import duties; auction sales of petrol, and scrap vehicles seized, he said.
“The 22,526 bags of foreign parboiled rice were intercepted in Ipokia, Ilara, Imeko, among other border areas in the state,” he explained.
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Other seizures
“During the period under review, we made a total seizure of 392 items which comprises 5,048 pieces of used tyres; 390 bales of used clothing; 61 units of vehicles including five luxury buses; 173,975 litres of petrol, an equivalent of five tanker loads; 107 sacks and 1,595 wraps of cannabis sativa; 167 cartons of 100x100ml and 27 cartons of 200x100ml codeine syrup,” Makinde added, per The PUNCH.
“The command generated the sum of N93,301,130 from import duties; auction sales of Premium Motor Spirit, and scrap vehicles seized from smugglers.
“A comparative analysis of the command’s performance during the period under review and the corresponding period of 2022, indicates a significant increase in revenue
“We remain resolute in our fight against smuggling of rice and other prohibited items in order to encourage local production in line with the federal government of Nigeria policy on local production.”
Customs confiscates 206,835 bags of smuggled rice worth N3b
Earlier, the NCS disclosed 206,835 bags of smuggled rice worth N3.02 billion were seized between May 2022 and May 2023.
NCS National Public Relations Officer Abdullahi Maiwada, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, confirmed that during the period a total 1,745 items comprising rice and others goods worth N1.7 billion were seized, which the Duty-Paid Value amounted to N4.74 billion.
The disclosure came as farmers decried rampant rice smuggling and urged the federal government to escalate the fight against a scourge hampering local production.
Maiwada said the most seizures were made in June 2022, which saw about 266 seizures of 13,775 bags of rice worth N260.54 million.
The highest number of seized bags occurred in September 2022, with 118 seizures of 96,312 bags of rice worth N295.88 million
February 2023 had the highest value of seizures (N420.84 million), comprising 172 seizures of 12,239 bags.
According to Maiwada, 344 suspected smugglers were arrested; comprising 291 between January and December 2022 and 53 between January and May 2023.