Customs Intercepts 34 Smuggled Vehicles Laden With Second Hand Clothes, India Hemp, Others

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Sunday announced a single seizure of contrabands with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N10 billion.

The Unit in a press statement by the Public Relations Officer, Peter Duniya, said the acting Customs Area Controller, Usman Yahaya said the seizure were made at Ido-Eruwa road, Ibadan, Oyo State  in one day.

According to Yahaya, the contraband comprised of 34 fairly used and new vehicles which were laden with second hand clothes, indian hemp and foreign parboiled rice.

He said, ” Some economic saboteurs met their waterloo when our operatives acted based on credible information, made a single seizure at Ido,Eruwa Road-Ibadan of Oyo State.

The contrabands include 34 different brands of both new and

used vehicles laden with banned items such as second hand clothes, foreign parboiled rice and Indian hemp.”

However, Yahaya further stated that though there were stiff resistance from the smugglers who engaged the supportof hoodlums but the Customs operatives displayed high level of professionalism and restraint to secure the contraband to the Customs warehouse in Lagos.

“Our operatives were met with stiff resistance from a combination of  smugglers, hoodlums and villagers. However, with the application of high level of professionalism, the patrol teams were able to bring all the vehicles down to Lagos without any casualty.”

He however warned smugglers to desist from engaging in economic activities that sabotaged the government policies of making Nigeria self sufficient in food production.

“While we appreciate the support and the cooperation of patriotic members of the public in carrying out our mandate by providing timely and useful information, however, recalcitrant economic saboteurs should note that, they would continue to count their losses because we are better mobilized, organized and backed by the extant laws to be always ahead of them.”