Sixty three suspected smugglers have been arrested and detained in the first four months of 2020 by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Area Command, Ibadan.
The Controller, Oyo/Osun Command of NCS, Uche Ngozi, made the disclosure when she briefed journalists on the activities of the command. She said the suspects have been treated according to the law.
The command, within the period, she said, also confiscated 3,465 bags of 50kg rice, 310 drums of 100 litres each, 180 kegs of 25 litres each of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 180 bales of second hand clothing from a train operated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation, 13 kegs of 25 litres each of vegetable oil, 44 gallons of four litres each of vegetable oil, 20 units of used tyres, and 31 different vehicles used to convey the confiscated items.
Ngozi said the petrol seized in March and April at different points and axis of the command, would he auctioned and the proceeds would be remitted accordingly.
“With smart intelligence gathering, we were able to identify a petrol filling station carrying out illegal activities within its premises.
The petrol station has been sealed and arrested suspects were made to write statements,” she said.
Ngozi put the total duty paid value (DPV) of seizures made in March and April 2020 at N193,777,829, and the cumulative DPV from January to April was put at N312,189,456. She said the command made 72 seizures and 63 detentions within tne period under review.
Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ali (retd), according to her, has directed more stringent measures to further strengthen the interception capabilities of customs officers to corroborate the extent laws and regulations guiding import and export procedures of the country.
