The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal
Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday announced that it
intercepted 22 truckloads of foreign parboiled rice with 64 units of vehicles
smuggled into Nigeria from neighbouring countries.
Customs Area Comptroller (CAC) of the Federal
Operations Unit , Zone A, Muhammed Uba Garba, disclosed this while parading journalists
around the sized items in its warehouses.
The rice, according to the CAC, has a Duty Paid
Value (DPV) of N164million while the vehicles have a value of N1.3billion.
According to him, "After intensifying our
operational modalities to meet up with the current smuggling tactics most
especially as the yuletide draws closer, we have intercepted contraband with a
Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N1.6billion.
"The seized items include 64 assorted vehicles
(mostly brand new); 13,333 bags of foreign parboiled rice (almost 22 trailers);
1,390 cartons of frozen poultry products; 835 jerry cans of vegetable oil; 15
parcels of Indian hemp; 1,101 pieces of used tyres; 205 bales of used clothing
among others."
Garba stated that the service would enforce the federal
government policy on importation of vehicles and rice through the land borders
to encourage local production.
"We need to support the federal government
policy on rice, encourage local rice farmers, the millers and patronise our
nutritional rice, "he said.
Speaking on the vehicles intercepted, Garba said
about 57 vehicles allegedly smuggled into the country are evacuated from an
estate in Lagos.
"Among the detained vehicles are three Lexus SUV
(bullet proof); one Toyota Land Cruiser (bullet proof); Nine Toyota Hilux,
eight Toyota Hiace Bus; 26 Toyota Corolla; Nine Land Crusher SUV; Five Toyota
Camry; one Land Rover; One Nissan Sentara; one Paper SUV all 2017 model and one
Sienna 2015 model and One Lexus RX 350. These 64 assorted vehicles alone have a
DPV of N1.3billion.
"While 57 vehicles were evacuated based on intelligence
along Omole estate, Ojodu and Olayiwole close Lekki Phase 1, the remaining
seven were intercepted while on information patrol along Ijebu-Ode expressway
and Olorunda,"he stated.
The Customs boss however challenged anyone with
useful proof of payment of Customs duty to come forward to claim the seized
vehicles.
Garba added: "As I speak with you, nobody has
come forward to claim ownership yet because we doubt if they have any Customs
papers on the vehicles, let alone the End-user Certificate for the bullet
proof."
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