Seme Customs intercepts 235 contraband goods valued at N91.1m

The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday said it intercepted 235 contraband goods with total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N91,165,860 within the first 45 days of this year.

The development shows that smuggling is very active on the Seme border corridor.

Confirming this, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Chedi Wada, told newsmen in Seme that the seizures included 22 fairly-used vehicles, 1,113 bags of rice, 24,710 litres of petroleum products and others valued at N91,165,860

“This include 1,113 bags of 50kg foreign rice with DPV of N19,165,860, 24,710 liters of petroleum, 188 cartons of frozen poultry products, 422,500 milligrams of tramadol and 563,500ml of Amphetamine syrups.

“Others are 105 textile materials with DPV of N680,890, 22 fairly-used vehicles with DPV of N19,971,759, 84 sacks of used clothing, ladies hand bags and shoes with DPV of N277,245.

“Thirty sacks and one carton of soap with DPV of N896,227, 35 cartons of choco drink; 51 pieces of motorcycle spare parts; 28 jerry can of 25 liters of vegetable oil; 25 sacks of hides and skin and 10 sacks of melon.

“Other are 89 cartons and 2 sacks of blue band, one sack of stock fish, 12 packs of peanut and 23 bundles of corrugated papers of 25 piece per bundle and 3 nylon bags of empty plastic cream containers,” he said.

Wada said that seven suspects connected with the act were arrested and were at various stages of investigations and conviction.

He pledged the determination to detecting, arresting and prosecuting those who did not comply with the extant laws regarding importation and exportation through the land borders.

Wada attributed the harvest of seizures within 45 days of the year to the “strategic policy measures put in place to tackle the menace of smuggling, irregular migrations and other trans-border crimes.”

He reiterated his commitment to ensuring that business of smuggling becomes unattractive through vigorous community and public enlightenment, sensitisation on the dangers of smuggling and its impact on the economy and national security.