Steve Agbota
The Seme Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has intercepted 269 baskets of fresh tomatoes, one basket of fresh peppers, seven sacks of cucumber and pineapples, and 16 baskets of fresh okro with duty paid value (DPV) of N367,47, all smuggled and coming from Benin Republic, were earnestly auctioned off at the borders in line with Customs and Excise Management Act CAP 45, LFN (2004) as amended.
In a statement issued by the Command Public Relations Officers, Saidu Nuruddeen Abdullahi, and made available to Daily Sun yesterday, said that within the last two weeks of August 2019, the command has arrested offensive items worth approximately N40 million.
According to the Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba, the efforts of the enforcement unit of the Command with regard to suppression of smuggling is yielding remarkable results.
Garba said the items seized so far include 875×50 bags of foreign parboiled rice with DPV of N15,023,750; 12×25 litres of vegetable oil with DPV of N131,625.90; 6x50kg of refined sugar with DPV of N147,640.50; 535; bales of used clothes with DPV of N17,259,769; 20 parcels of cannabis sativa with street value worth of N516,180; 1] sacks of used shoes, belt and ladies bag with DPV of N541,989; 57 pieces of textile wrappers with DPV of N367,778; 65 cartons of poultry products with DPV of N948,333.75; 137×25 liter jerry cans of PMS with DPV of N287,700.
He said other items are 16 buckets of car paint with DPV of N144,530.40; 11 cartons of galvanised nails with DPV of N99,364.65; 2566 pieces of currency (in coins) and other foreign currencies; 7 cartons of condensed milk with DPV of N78,534.75; four carton of spaghetti noodles with DPV of N15,678.97; two cartons of tin tomato with DPV of N14,589; two sacks of coconuts with DPV of N38,714; four cartons of body cream; one bag of detergent soap with DPV of N58,913; 20 pieces of sand paper with DPV of N12,778.50; four television sets, two pieces of television stands with DPV of N187,115.25; four cartons of fuel filter with DPV of N11,669; one carton of motor spare parts with DPV of N134,631; two pieces of gas burner with DPV of N2,137 respectively.