The Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’ of the Nigeria Customs Service in Owerri, Imo State has said in 2015 it recorded a total of 467 seizures, with an overall Duty Paid Value of N2,709,807,358.
Three hundred and sixteen suspected smugglers were also arrested.
These were revealed by the Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Victor David Dimka.
Dimka told newsmen that out of the 316 suspected smugglers arrested, one had been convicted, seven cases won and 23 still in court.
The unit, according to Dimka, also recovered N130,144,103 as underpayment on some items.
He said: “A breakdown of the command’s 2015 performance shows a seizure-profile of 343 vehicles; 378 bales of bags/suitcases with 466 pieces; 6,472 pieces of imported used tyres; 8,855 cartons of foreign frozen poultry products; and 2,758 bales of imported textile materials.
“Others were 10 cartons of foreign beverages/juice; 2,584 bags of 50kg imported rice; 6,747 pairs of foot wears; 45 cartons of electrical/electronic equipment; 108 cartons of foreign vegetable oil; 1,387 packages of foreign furniture with 126 pieces; and 412 cartons of foreign soaps and detergents.”
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Dimka explained that 1,561 cartons of fake drugs along with 7,493 bales of second-hand clothing and 5,642 cartons of other contraband items were equally impounded by the unit during the year under review.
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He said: “This increase also featured in the current report on duty recovered through DN issued as the increase represented in percentage of 81 percent is above the sum of N72,762,029 recovered on 59 Demand Notice issued and recorded in year 2014.”
Dimka denounced the upsurge of smuggling activities in the country despite stiff penalties for culprits arrested.
He warned those still engaging in the illicit business to desist forthwith in their own interest as the Nigeria Customs Service has been further fortified to deal with the nagging problem of smuggling being perpetrated by some unpatriotic individuals who are desperate to make quick money to the detriment of the nation’s economy.
He equally promised that the Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali, would continue to apply decency and professionalism in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities.
He said officers found guilty of official misconduct would be strictly dealt with.
He decried isolated cases of unwarranted media attack and blackmail against the Service by some sections of the media, stressing the need for the media to always contact his office for verification of facts whenever necessary.
Dimka appealed to members of the public with useful information about smugglers, their agents, sponsors and collaborators to contact law enforcement agencies for prompt action.
He said such vital information would be handled with utmost confidentiality.
Todayng
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