Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Comptroller, Ogun State Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Sani Maidugu, has said smugglers have devised new means of concealing and transporting smuggled rice and other contrabands in cement trucks and containers.
Maidugu stated this on Tuesday in Abeokuta while briefing journalists on the seizure of 1,963 50kg bags of smuggled rice valued at N219, 593,000 made by men of the Command.
He noted that the seizure included bags of rice intercepted at various border points in the southwestern state.
Two trucks valued at N37 million, used by the suspected smugglers as means of conveyance, were also seized.
According to the Customs boss, the smugglers were intercepted in various locations within the Abeokuta axis of the Command, using trucks belonging to a cement company to conceal the contraband.
He explained that the driver of one of the cement trucks had loaded his truck with six hundreds bags of rice and covered it with tarpaulin to disguise it as a cement consignment.
In a separate operation, the cement truck driver used the empty container built on the truck to conceal and transport 600 bags of imported rice.
Maidugu added that the customs operatives who had gotten the hint of their illegal activities through intelligence, intercepted both trucks along Lagos-Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway.
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the crime and would be charged to court, Maidugu said.
The Command also intercepted and seized smuggled 20 book-size, 8 coconut-size wraps and half sacks of Indian Hemp.
The Comptroller reiterated the Command’s readiness to tackle smuggling activity in the state.