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The acting Comptroller, FOU, Zone A, acting Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Lagos, said smuggling in whatever guise or form, is an illegal activity that constitutes a crime against Customs extant laws.
According to him, 11 suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures by the Unit and are at various stages of investigations.
While giving the breakdown of the seizures recorded within the period under review, he said the Unit seized 121 cartons of frozen poultry product, 724 bales of used second hand clothings, 3 units of used motorcycles, 97 pieces of used tyres, 162 (96kg) parcels of Indian hemp.
He said others include 11 kegs of 25 litres of vegetable oil, 13 units of used fridges, 3,116 pieces of cutlass, 700 rolls of cigarettes, 23 cartons of dates, 9 units of vehicles, 21×40 containers of charcoal, adding that the items were seized along the border and port corridors within the Southwest zone.
Within the period under review, he revealed the Unit also recovered cumulative revenue of N42.320 million, which would have been lost to individuals, if not for the diligent and meticulous documentary checks by officers of the Unit.
“This achievement was possible with the enabling powers of sections: 158 (power to patrol freely), sections 160 –163 (failure to pay duty on demand, untrue declarations, counterfeiting documents, false scales, etc) of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), Cap C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 as amended,” he said.
He, therefore, appealed to the trading community to be patriotic by making sincere declarations, and paying the maximum duties/levies payable to the Federal Government, adding that anyone found culpable of the aforementioned would lead to economic loss and prosecution as prescribed by the extant laws.
“Having understood the unrepentant nature of some economic saboteurs’ increased desperation to smuggle and their quest to acquire wealth ahead of the festive period, this Unit had remained resolute in enforcing compliance with the federal government fiscal policies, Customs and Excise laws.
“While doing this, we have evolved better strategies of being ahead of them; not only to seize their wares, but to get them arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
