CUSTOMS SEIZE N1.5BN WORTH OF CONTRABAND IN LAGOS, FOUR SUSPECTS ARRESTED
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By: Motunrayo Aniwura
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service in Ikeja has confiscated contraband items worth N1.5 billion and arrested four individuals during a three-week anti-smuggling campaign.
Comptroller Muhammed Shuaibu, who took over as the Customs Area Controller on April 23, disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos on Friday. During the event, he handed over seized goods to officials of the NDLEA and NAFDAC.
Shuaibu said the confiscated items, seized between April 23 and May 16, carried a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.5 billion. He pledged to utilize his expertise to boost the unit’s performance and reaffirmed the unit’s dedication to its primary responsibilities.
The unit also generated N20.7 million through demand notices and the auction of perishable and petroleum products tied to improper imports.
He explained a strategic shift toward intelligence-driven operations, which has helped streamline enforcement and move away from traditional stop-and-search practices.
Key seizures included seven 20-foot containers holding banned or misdeclared items. One container (MSKU 8551954) carried used tyres and vehicles, while three others (SYDU 1479614, MSKU 7751689, and MSKU 798700) were loaded with foreign parboiled rice. Additional containers held new shoes, clothes, and bags.
Other items seized included 4,085 50kg bags of foreign rice (roughly seven trailer loads), 15 used vehicles, 82 packs of Tramadol, 246kg of Cannabis Sativa, 290 jerry cans of petroleum products, and several bales and sacks of used clothes.
Shuaibu emphasized Customs’ continued resolve to fight smuggling, counterfeit goods, and illegal trade through strong collaboration with other agencies. He expressed gratitude to God and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and called on the public to support anti-smuggling efforts by reporting suspicious activities and being truthful
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