By Steve Agbota
The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A (FOU A) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ikeja, on Friday, said that it arrested four suspected smugglers in connection with the various seizures with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1.501 billion.
The Controller, FOU ‘A’, Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu, stated this during his maiden press briefing in Lagos, and noted that the unit seized illicit drugs, which include 246kg Cannabis Sativa and 82 packs of Tramadol and handed them over to the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). He said the tramadol capsules would be handed over to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and prosecution.
According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its efforts to combat smuggling, counterfeit products, and other forms of illicit trade.
“These achievements testify to our unwavering dedication to protecting our economy and citizens. We will continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and border communities to dismantle the networks engaged in illicit activities,” he said.
However, he said the unit generates revenue primarily through the interventions executed by its personnel, issuing demand notices (DN), where shortfalls are identified, and conducting auction sales of seized perishable goods. “We have diligently optimised these revenue streams to ensure accurate recovery of funds.
“As of today, we have successfully recovered a total of N20.792 million through the issuance of demand notices from irregular importation and auction sales of seized petroleum products.
“On anti-smuggling, since undertaking my role, I have initiated a transformation of our operational strategies, moving away from traditional stop-and-search methods to more intelligence-driven operations that reduce unnecessary delays,” he said