Customs Intercept Over N2.5b Contrabands, Nabs 5 Suspects In Lagos, Oyo States
Contraband goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N2.5 billion have been intercepted by operatives of the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone “A” Ikeja Lagos.
Controller of the Unit Mohammed Uba, who made the disclosure Tuesday at a briefing said the goods were intercepted from 1st to 19th March 2018 in Lagos
The seized items according to the controller include 16 exotic vehicles mostly 2017 model, 7,201 bags of foreign parboiled rice concealed in 12 trailers, 1,172 cartons of frozen poultry products, 1,352 Jerry cans of vegetable oil, 72 bales of used clothing, 464 pieces of used tyres,407 sacks of pangolin scales and 629 pieces of textile Ankara material among others.
He added that five suspects were arrested in connection with the pangolin scales evacuated from an apartment at 64 Opebi Road, Ikeja, adding that they will be handed over to the Nigeria Environment Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA) for further investigation.
Among the goods seized, Uba described as remarkable the interception of eight trucks laden with 3,351 bags of rice and 669 Jerry cans of vegetable oil along Iseyin, Oyo State axis and the evacuation of 1,253 bags of rice weighing 50kg each from a ware house in Ogbomoso.
He added that the seized goods were based on intelligence after the deployment of tactical operational modalities by the operatives of the unit.
The Controller identified the detained vehicles to include two Lexus Jeep (RS350, 2016, 2017 model), one Rolls Royce, one Lincoln Limousine (2014)) three Toyota Camry car (2009,2013 and 2017) models.
Other include one Toyota RAV 4, one Toyota Avalon (2016), one Toyota Tundra, one Dodge among others.
Specifically, he disclosed that the 16 exotic vehicles alone have a duty paid value of N340, 770,509,055.
Uba explained that while six vehicles were evacuated based on intelligence along Lekki Epe Expressway, the remaining ten were intercepted while on patrol at various locations.
He pledged the determination of the Unit to ensure the sustenance of the laudable feat and applauded the Comptroller General of Customs for providing the Unit with necessary logistics.
