By Shile GIWA
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) in Zone ‘B’ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Kaduna on Thursday said that it seized smuggled items with Duty Paid Value of about N450.8 million in the first quarter of 2019.
TBI Africa said the Comptroller of the command, Mustafa Sarkin Kebbi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
Sarkin-Kebbi said that it was a big stride in the command’s efforts at tackling smuggling the area.
He said that 4,151 bags of smuggled 50kg foreign rice were seized during the period.
“We were also able to confiscate smuggled spaghetti of about 349 cartons and 11 bags of imported sugar.
“Also, 545 cans of 25kg of smuggled vegetable oil and a 80 bales of second hand clothes were seized within the first quarter.”
Sarkin-Kebbi added that other seizures made within the period were 333 used tyres and about 130 cartons of medicament without NAFDAC registration numbers.
“We have already done the normal documentation and handed over the seized medicament to NAFDAC as the agency saddled with the responsibility,’’ he said.
The comptroller said that currently, eight suspected smugglers were undergoing investigation and would be prosecuted if found culpable.
“We have 24 vehicles that were seized during the period from the zone within the Kaduna- Zaria -Abuja axis.
“We have two brand new Prado Jeep 2019 model and various brands of vehicles that amounted to 24 with duty paid value of N284 million.”
According to him, the command is encountering various challenges and pressures from some politicians and community leaders who have interest in the seized smuggled items.
”The moment an arrest has been made, you start receiving calls here and there; but by the grace of God, I will resist it,” he said.
