Customs intercepts ammunitions in Oyo

Two months after mindboggling  seizures of 56,750 rounds of live ammunition, Oyo/Osun Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has  intercepted 181 prohibited goods, even as the Command revealed a new trend of smuggling contraband items into the country with a vehicle  designed to  convey  frozen products for cold-room operations.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the Command, what could be described as a  harvest of textile materials was seen in various compartments in the warehouse, along with over eight vehicles loaded with assorted textile materials. While some textile materials were packed in vehicles used to convey them, others were displayed in the open.  Spectacular among the textile seizures was a 20-footer truck  designed for frozen products business, loaded with 213 belts of African prints, and each belt has 600 yards of the material.

It was also observed that the warehouse,  was filled to capacity with seizures like used tyres, vegetable oil, rice, shoes, imported vine among numerous prohibited items.  The prohibited goods were so many that a workshop within the office premises was converted to a temporary warehouse for seized goods, as more seizures were still coming in during the visit.

The Command also arrested three suspected smugglers,  in connection with the seizures and has commenced  investigation into the case.  Our investigations revealed that the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command and his team are focusing on  strategic locations like Bakatari, Saki, Kchi, Aiyegun and other volatiles places within the state, where smugglers use as frequent routes for economic sabotage.

The CAC, Deputy Comptroller, Oteri Richard, said, “Our primary duty is to protect our economic environment and that is exactly what we are doing and must not relent, because smuggling is not healthy for the local industries. I reiterate our determination in anti-smuggling operations in order to reduce smuggling to the barest minimum in the state.

The Command within few months made a total of 181 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N315.1million. This comprises of assorted fairly used cars, trucks and buses loaded with prohibited items. Comparatively, in 2012, between the months of April and July, a total of 399 vehicles were brought for duty payment, while within the same period in 2013, duty was paid on 636 vehicles, which shows an increase of almost 50 percent. A total of 3,263 bags of rice were also intercepted within the short period under review, with a DPV of N49.3million.”