The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Ikeja, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced on Friday the interception of ten trucks loaded with foreign parboiled rice imported into the country.
Also seized by the unit were Cannabis Sativa, foreign used vehicles commonly referred to as Tokunbo, tramadol, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), as well as used clothing and shoes, among other items.
The total value of the confiscated goods is estimated to exceed N1.5 billion.
During his inaugural press briefing, the Customs Area Controller for FOU, Zone A, Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu, explained that three containers filled with foreign rice were intercepted within the Lagos metropolis, while 4,085 bags, equivalent to seven truckloads, were intercepted along the border areas.
Comptroller Shuaibu stated that four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures made across the South-Western states of Nigeria.
“In a significant achievement in our ongoing battle against illicit trade, our team acted on credible intelligence and successfully intercepted and seized seven 20ft containers filled with various illegal items within the Lagos metropolis.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that MSKU 8551954 contained used tyres and vehicles; SYDU 1479614 held foreign parboiled rice; and MSKU 7751689 also contained foreign parboiled rice,” the Customs Area Commander said.
Shuaibu listed other seizures as follows: “MSKU 798700, foreign parboiled rice; ZCSU 8845072, new shoes; ZCSU 7055181, new clothes; and PIDU 4258491, new bags.”
He added that the renewed efforts of the unit have significantly strengthened the Customs’ strategies to secure borders in the South-Western states against economic saboteurs.
“Within this short period of three weeks, this unit has inflicted substantial losses on these non-state actors through the interception of numerous illegal goods.
“Notable seizures include 4,085 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg—equivalent to seven trailer loads; 15 illegally imported foreign-used vehicles; 82 packs of tramadol, with ten sachets per pack; 246 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa; 290 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); and 12 bales and four sacks of used clothing. Four suspects were arrested in connection with these various seizures, which have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.5 billion.”
The Customs chief also revealed that the unit generated N20.8 million from the sale of auctioned items such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and debit notes on containers with irregular Customs duty payments, among others.
“The unit generates revenue primarily through the interventions executed by our personnel, issuing demand notices (DN) where shortfalls are identified, and conducting auction sales of seized perishable goods.
“We have diligently optimised these revenue streams to ensure accurate recovery of funds, and as of today, we have successfully recovered a total of N20.8 million through the issuance of demand notices related to irregular importations and auction sales of seized petroleum products.
“In an era characterised by increasing global integration, efficient trade facilitation is essential for unlocking economic potential, creating jobs, and fostering regional integration. I take this responsibility seriously.
“Our intelligence-driven operations are designed to create a more efficient, transparent, and inclusive trading environment that will benefit our stakeholders and the public through barrier-free operations, as we intend to eliminate all patrol points within the Lagos metropolis,” Comptroller Shuaibu stated.
