Business

Ogun customs discovers concealed foreign currencies, sizes 8 trailers load of rice

Compt. Makinde flanked by his officers while addressing Journalists'at Idiroko on Tuesday

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS),

has once more proven itself worthy as it uncovers and displayed to news men bundles of foreign currencies concealed in bags of garri.

The currencies according to the Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Bamidele Abiodun Makinde who disclosed that there were different currencies as: Canadian dollars, Chinese currency, etc,

Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday the Command, Makinde stated that his officers seized 4,603 bags of foreign parboiled rice which is equivalent to eight trailers loads, 19 engine boats worth over N17,311,419.00.

Makinde and his men uncovered the antics of die-hard smugglers of displaying Customs logos in thier smuggled vehicles to best checkpoints.

Duty paid value of the seized items was N100,132,756.00 he said.

He stated, “During the period under review, the Command generated the sum of Six Million and Forty-Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira, Zero Kobo (6,048,500.00) from auction sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol, intercepted at different locations and exit points to the Republic of Benin during our anti-smuggling operations.

“With the recent phased re-opening of additional four (4) Border Posts (including Idiroko Border Post), we are hopeful that our revenue collection will improve significantly.

“I am glad to inform you that the Command’s concerted effort in suppression of smuggling activities has continued to yield good results.

“We are able to record a total seizure of 4,603 bags/50kg each of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent of 8 trailer loads). It is important to note the huge damage this quantity of rice would have done to the Federal Government Rice Agricultural Policy if allowed to get into the Nigerian markets.”

Furthermore, other seized items according to the Area Controller include: 37, 450 Litres of PMS (1,498 kegs of 25 litres each), 300 Cartons of Frozen Poultry Products, 3 Sacks of Cannabis Sativa, 900 Pieces of Machetes, 7 Bales and 7 Sacks of foreign used Clothing, including 2,195 Pieces of foreign used shoes.

1,020 Pieces/451 Pieces of New/Used Ladies’ Hand Bag, 89 Cartons of foreign Wine, 22 Cartons of Noni Berry Daily Drink, 8 Units of Vehicle (means of conveyance), 2 Units of Foreign Used Vehicle (Tokunbo), 2 Units of Motorcycle (means of conveyance) and 35 Cartons and 12 Packets of Tomatoes Paste.

Cumulative duty paid value (DPV) of all the seizures in the month of April 2022 according to the controller amounted to N100,132,756.00.

He further pronounced, “I wish to re-instate here that our intelligence network in the Command is continuously

strengthened for an improved and efficient performance. We deploy intelligence in virtually all our operations in the area and greater successes are being recorded on a daily basis.”

The command also uncovered grains of rice stashed in plastic bottles and other food items being exported. To this end, the controller added,

“We are going to achieve more as the raining season approaches, we will be expecting more seizures.

“Everybody knows that palm oil and other food items are not supposed to be taken out of the country because of the shortages we have due to banditry and other related criminal vices.

“You see they can no longer carry bags of rice, they have explored the system of stashing them in bottles, she said.