The Kano/Jigawa Nigeria customs Area Command, has impounded over 1500 bags of foreign rice along side other contraband items valued at over N45 million.
Displaying the seized goods at the Kano Area Command headquarters on Thursday, the Area comptroller,Nasir Ahmad said that 20 vehicles worth N7.2 million were used as means of transporting the seized items.
He said over 260 jerry cans of foreign vegetable oils valued at N3.7 million were intercepted at various locations, adding that 25 bags of foreign sugar were also seized valued at N412,510.
According to him, the command has also impounded 20 used exotic vehicles at various boarder locations and now in detention awaiting the owners to come forward for clearance.
Ahmad explained that the various contrabands that were impounded were intercepted at Miltara road, Gumel boarder in jigawa, Bello road, Katsina Road, Babura, Achilafiya, Zaria road and Maigatari border in Jigawa state.
Ahmad said ” You can see another method that is being used by smugglers to smuggle in rice into the country by using empty jerry cans to conceal the rice.
“If you see a bus conveying empty jerry cans of vegetable oil, one would hardly suspect anything but alas! it is another way of transporting smuggled foreign rice.
“We have resolved that any vehicle coming out of the zone must be properly inspected.
“There should be no snuggling of rice especially to these part of the country where rice is largely cultivated and with lots of rice mills that can give us enough local rice.”
He warned smugglers to desist from these illegal business and find another means of livelihood that any one caught indulging in such act will not be spared by the law.