Customs Impounds N172m Duty Paid Goods

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (F.O.U.) Zone ‘C’ Owerri, impounded goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N172.09 million in February.
This is in contrast to goods valued at N122.28 million seized by the unit in January.
The Area Controller of the unit, Comptroller Mohammed Garba, made this known after conducting newsmen round the seized items at the Imo/Abia Command of the NCS in Owerri on Wednesday.
Garba said that the service would continue its efforts toward reducing smuggling of contraband.
It is reported that the unit also recovered an underpayment of N58 million in the month under review (February).
Garba said that 18 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures, while 25 cases were pending in court.
He said that the seizures consisted of: 9,705 pieces of footwear; 10 vehicles; and 1,205 bags of rice.
Others are; 1 x 40 ft container of 254 bales of second hand clothes; 150 pieces of second hand tyres; one container load of timber as well as 1 x 20ft container loaded with 842 cartons of machete.
The controller expressed regret that smugglers and their partners in crime had refused to purge themselves of the obnoxious business.
Garba said this had resulted to huge loss of revenue to the Federal Government in spite of obvious stiff penalties against culprits.
He said that the NCS was better equipped, mobilised and motivated more than ever and would continue to beam its search light on smugglers, their collaborators and agents until the battle against smuggling is won.
The controller, however, appreciated the continued cooperation and support of some members of the public and other sister agencies, that assisted the unit with information on smuggling.
Garba urged the public to sustain the spirit in the interest of the nation and the economy.
He said that the NCS would continue to apply all measures to neutralise the antics of smugglers in line with the policies and visions of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Ibrahim Hameed Ali and his management team.
Our correspondent reports that some of the items were seized as a result of false documentation and being sub-standard.