*372 bags of offensive rice concealed in local flour sacks intercepted
*Seizes Items Worth over N700m between February to March 2024
By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’ Kaduna, has raised the alarm that in their desperation to evade detection, smugglers are now cloning the chassis numbers of vehicles in an attempt to beat officers of NCS, in their renewed bid to frustrate economic sabotage through smuggling activities.
This was disclosed today in Kaduna, at a press briefing by Comptroller FOU Zone ‘B’, Dalha Wada Chedi at the zonal office, where several items seized were displayed.
“Let me use this opportunity to draw the attention of the general public concerning the act of altering VIN (Chassis Number) of Vehicles by smugglers to evade arrest or to manipulate the payment of duty. I want the concerned citizens to always examine the VIN on the windscreen and that on the chassis (skeleton) of the vehicle they intend buying because it is an offence under S.236 (b) of the NCS Act 23 and the offender is liable to a fine of N2, 000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of two years, or both,” he said.
According to him, through dedication to duty and patriotic zeal, officers and men of the zone made a total seizure of 98 items worth N769, 465,907.46 between February 17 to March 28, 2024.
“Once again, I am pleased to welcome you to the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’ to give you an update about our anti-smuggling activities for the period covering February 17 until date.
“I am also happy to report that our operatives have remained resolute, committed and vigilant in the fight against smuggling and to say that within the period under review, recorded a total of Ninety-Eight (98) seizures of Twenty-One (21) different items which includes contraband foreign parboiled rice, used foreign shoes, petroleum products, vehicles (means of conveyance), pasta among others,” he said.
Comptroller Chedi said that of particular note was the seizure of 372 bags of offensive rice that were intercepted by operatives of the Unit and deposited at the Kwara Area Command.
“Our eagle eye Officers and Men are constantly responding to the ever newer changing tactics of smugglers, who deploys ever new methods in concealing smuggled rice in local flour sacks to disguise the smuggle rice as flour.
“It is also noteworthy that we combine effective intelligence network in combating and exposing these rice smugglers. I said earlier that we remain resolute and will not relent as there is no amount of trick, blackmail or orchestrated attacks that will dampen our resolve,” he said.
Speaking further, he warned those he described as die-hard smugglers that sponsor mobs to attack their officers and men that such would not deter them from carrying out their constitutional duties.
” I say to those die-hard smugglers that sponsor mobs to attack our operatives and/or organize to stage illegal demonstrations against us that they cannot and will not discourage and deter us from carrying out our job. It is one of two options, either these smugglers turn a new leaf and embrace legitimate trade, or have us to deal with and face the wrath of the law and the full consequences,” he warned.
Giving the summary of items seized for the period under review, he said that it included, 698 bags of Foreign Parboiled Rice (50kg each), 367 Cartons Foreign Spaghetti, Macaroni, Couscous, 136 Bales Foreign Secondhand clothing, 715 Jerry cans of Premium motor Spirit (25 Litres each) and 65 Jerry cans of Foreign Refined Vegetable Oil (25 Litres each).
Others are, 12 Unit Used Vehicles, 4 Units Means of Conveyance, 9 Cartons Chakapain Xtra (50mg), 425.5 Cartons Foreign Milky Creamer & Milk Powder, 136 pieces Foreign used Tyres, 14 Bags Foreign Tiger Nuts, 151 Cartons of unregistered Alcoholic Beverages and 1,314 sachets and 68 Cartons Foreign Butter.
Also seized, were, 40 Cartons Expired Foreign General Goods, 120 Cartons of Foreign Eva soap, 170 bags of sodium sulphate (25Kg each), 20 cartons of Foreign Dye Powder, 600 bags of Sokoto cement used in concealing of items O, P, & Q, 379 assorted general goods intercepted at Daura for being improperly exported and 400 cartons of unregistered Organic Fertilizer
“The Total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of these items is Seven Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seven Naira and Forty-Six Kobo (N769, 465,907.46) only.
“At this point, as Nigerians we must join in thanking the leadership and management of the NCS for graciously tampering justice with mercy so as to provide safe landing for those Nigerians found to have acted in breach of the Customs extant laws, in relation to the directive of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy on the recent 90-days window granted to vehicle owners to perfect their duty documentation,” he said.
He therefore, called on the general public to utilize the 90-days window to regularize their improperly imported vehicles, especially in view of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s fatherly disposition in the light of the current general hardship for which he magnanimously suspended the 25% penalty previously imposed in addition to import duty on improperly imported vehicles; to make it more accessible to the citizens.
“Let me also use this medium to specially thank our amiable Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and his management team for their usual support and encouragement to Officers and Men of the Unit and the Service in general,” he said.
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