The Federal Operation Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service Zone “A” Lagos said it arrested fourteen (14) Suspects in connection with One Hundred and Twenty-Five (125) seizures made between the period of April 10th to May 15th, 2018.
The Customs Area Controller Compt. Mohammed Uba who disclosed this in Lagos while briefing newsmen recently said the Unit intercepted various Uncustomed goods and other goods on detention with a Duty Paid Value(DPV) of N1,010,296,666.02 (One billion, ten million, two hundred and ninety-six thousand, six hundred and sixty-six naira).
The Customs boss also said that the Unit through its interventions recorded N28,860,788.00 (Twenty Eight Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty Eight Naira).
Comptroller Uba listed the detained seized items to includes, 30 Exotic Vehicles which included 7 Toyotta Hilux (2018 models), 3 Toyotta Prado Jeep (2017), 1Range Rover, 1 Ford Edge (2015), 5,516 bags of Parboiled Rice (9 Trailers).
Others include 1,078 cartons of Frozen Poultry products, 216 Jerrycans of Vegetable Oil, 683 piece of use tyres.
Among the items seized in the past one month by the unit include 173 bales of used clothing and 8 sacks of Indian hemp.
The Customs Area Controller also told newsmen that importers who could not pay correct duties were compelled to pay the appropriate duties when they were caught, adding that this was the best way to handle non-compliant traders.
In his words, “ for non-complaint traders who do not confirm to import rules, whenever we have such information, we cross check and if we discover that the Federal Government Money is not fully collected, we don’t allow that and we make sure that such money is collected”.
Uba also revealed that his men were already aware of the smugglers antics of concealing smuggled products, warning those who have chosen the path of smuggling to earn a new leaf as the service and indeed the unit will not renege on it statutory functions most especially in suppressing smuggling.
Meanwhile, the Customs Area Controller, Fou Zone “A” compt. Mohammed Uba has hinted that following court processes and condemnation , the Presidential committee on IDPs chaired by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd) had approved the evacuation of some seized items to the Borno State Government for distribution to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through the Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport (NACST).
The items according to the CAC includes 25,318 Bags of Rice 50kg, (42 trailers), 3,366 Jerry cans of 25 Liters, 175 Gallons of Vegetable Oil (5 Liters), 1,564 Bales of used clothing and 122 Sacks and 938 Pairs of used Shoes.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos