The Nigerian Customs Service, Kebbi State Area Command, has intercepted goods, valued at over N126 million, including 212 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice.
The intercepted items also included 10,025 litres of petrol worth over N2 million.
Customs Area Comptroller Iheanacho Ojike stated, “Barely two months since I took over, the command has intensified the fight against smuggling to curb its menace by engaging in intense patrols throughout the nooks and crannies of Kebbi.
“We make use of intelligence to enhance our operations, and we also engage in sensitising the host communities to the dangers of smuggling.”
Ojike stated that smuggling was detrimental to the economy and citizens’ well-being, pointing out the measures taken to address the problem which led to the seizure of the items.
He said that in addition to the rice and petrol, other seized items included 28 bags weighing 25kg each, 200 bales of second-hand clothing (jumbo size), 50 bales of normal size, 10,025 litres of premium motor spirit, 39 lumps of Indian hemp (cannabis sativa), 78 rolls of Diclofenac Sodium, 300 wraps of diazepam tablets 5mg each, 57 packs of a sex enhancement drug (black diamond), 150 expired powdered milk, 50 pieces of used tyres and 20 pieces of rims, 20 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 20 bags of foreign sugar, and 10 jerry cans of vegetable oils.
“The combined duty paid value of the seized items is N126,278,959.60.
“The PMS value is not included in the DPV because it is given in our revenue generation section as receipts from auction sales.
“This remarkable achievement was a result of the resilience and courageous effort of our Operations teams, Intelligence Unit, Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) and collaboration with sister agencies,” he added.
The comptroller also mentioned that the Indian hemp would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
Regarding revenue generation in the command, he noted a recent stall due to the border closure between Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Niger Republic.
Nonetheless, the command managed to generate N7,215,500 in the two months under review, representing a 125% increase compared to the two previous months.
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