The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) destroyed about 20,000 cartons of smuggled poultry products worth over N70 million impounded by both Federal Operations Unit (FOU) and Seme Command of the service.

The Customs Public Relations Officer at FOU, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Mr Uche Ejesieme, told newsmen on Tuesday that the unit seized 16,391 cartons of the poultry products between June and November.

He said that Dr Abdullahi Dikko, the Comptroller General of Customs, had passed a circular on zero tolerance on poultry products, adding that Comptroller Dan Ugo, the Head of the Unit, was determined to ensure strict compliance.

Ejesieme said that the duty paid value of the seized poultry products was N62.3 million.

“Between Monday and Saturday, we made total seizure of 1,117 cartons of poultry products and we made sure that we seized the means of conveyance,” he said.

The Seme Command of NCS also said it impounded over 3,000 cartons of poultry products in the last three months valued at between six to eight million naira.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Ernest Olotta, told         nesmen on telephone that the controller of the command had fortified the anti-smuggling team.

He said that some officers of the command had been strategically positioned in various places to check smuggling.

Olotta said the efforts of the controller had suppressed smuggling to the barest minimum.

“If smuggling stops, Nigeria stands to gain through job opportunities for the youths and there will be more foods and we can export our poultry products to other countries, “ he said.

“We have the capability to produce for local consumption and to export,’’  Olotta said.

Mr Jonathan Nicol, the Secretary General, Shippers’ Association of Lagos State, told  newsmen that local supply of poultry production had not met the demand.

“Smuggling is rampant, either because the supply to the mega hotels is high or because the ordinary man in the street does not have access to the few available local poultry products.

“The cost of buying chicken locally is twice the amount one buys from smugglers,” he said.

Nicol urged government to remove the ban placed on poultry products, adding that such measure would reduce smuggling.

A freight forwarder, Mr Ben Ndee, suggested that the National Assembly should recommend in the new Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) (Amendment) death penalty for smugglers.

“Smuggling, in whatever guise, is condemnable and a heinous crime against the economy of any nation, particularly ours in Nigeria.

“More so, the inherent danger to the lives of officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, many of whom have lost their lives in preventing poultry products smuggling and outright duty evasion, “ he said.

The maritime expert suggested that government should also encourage local poultry farmers by granting soft loans to increase production of poultry farmers and discourage smuggling.

A freight forwarder, Mr Lucky Amiwero, said that smuggling of poultry products had killed the local industries, adding that there should be protection for local industries.

“The restriction is to protect the local industries. If they have gone through NAFDAC clearance, it means there are no health issues, but this is not the case with smuggled poultry products.

“Government should look critically at this area of the economy, refocus and possibly set up a committee to address the problem in the poultry sector,”  Amiwero said.

He said that smuggling was thriving in Nigeria because demand for poultry products was high and local production could not meet the demand.