Customs seizes 227 smuggle items worth N320m, arrests 5 smugglers in Kebbi
Customs seizes 227 smuggle items worth N320m, arrests 5 smugglers in Kebbi
Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), in Kebbi, has seized various smuggled items valued at N320 million between January and December, 2020.
The Kebbi Area Comptroller of Customs , Hafiz Kalla, made the disclosure at a press briefing in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
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He said the command’s activities in 2020 mainly focused on suppression of smuggling, stressing that the land borders remained closed.
“We were, therefore, poised to ensure that economic saboteurs were not given a breathing space.
“To this end, our dogged effort successfully yielded in 227 seizures last year.
“The items were intercepted at different locations under the Command, notably Kamba, Kangiwa and Yauri axis,” he said.
Kalla explained that the breakdown of the seized items comprised of 333 packs of 1KG of Cannabis Sativa, two sacks of Diazepam 5mg drugs and 121 sacks of power snuff.
“Others are: 3,999 bags of 50KG of Foreign Fertilizers; 2,021 bags of 50KG, 19 bags of 100KG and 20 cartons of 25KG each of Foreign Parboiled rice.
“We also have 607 Bales of Second hand clothing, 68 sacks of new and used Foot Wears, 23,450 pieces of New Textile Materials and 395 kegs of 25 Litres of imported Palm Oil and Vegetable Oil.
” Others include: 91 bags of Foreign Sugar of 50KG, four truckloads of Hides and Skins, 256 cartons of Lightening Cream, 115 sacks and 13 sacks of Potassium Nitrates and Sodium Cyanides, respectively.
“We, however, have 260 Jerk Knives and 70 units of Used Vehicles; and other sundry items,” he explained.
According to him, the duty paid value of the aforementioned items stands at N320,701,566.
Customs seizes 227 smuggle items worth N320m, arrests 5 smugglers in Kebbi ![Customs seizes 227 smuggle items worth N320m, arrests 5 smugglers in Kebbi]()
Customs seizes 227 smuggle items worth N320m, arrests 5 smugglers in Kebbi
Kalla added that the command, equally, seized and auctioned 126,005 litres of PMS and diesel along with other perishable items.
“The items had generated a total sum of N35, 329,000 as fees from the auction sales, and remitted same to the Federation Account in accordance with extant laws,” he said.
He also revealed that five suspects were arrested in connection with some of the smuggled items and had since been granted administrative bail.
“The above achievement was as a result of hard-work, due diligence and constant vigilance exhibited by our officers and men in the field and, of course, with the help and support of other units in the Service and relevant security agencies through mutual collaboration and intelligence sharing,” he said.
The comptroller reiterated the commitment to stemming the tide of smuggling and called on the general public in the state to continue to cooperate and help with useful information in order to protect the country from importation of goods injurious to the health and nation’s economy.
