One of the anti-smuggling units of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intercepted contraband goods with Duty Paid Value, DPV of ₦531 million in three weeks.
Known as the Federal Operations unit, FOU, Zone A, the unit disclosed that it also recovered the sum of ₦252.1 million from importers who under-declared their consignments during the period under review.
The Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the unit, Mohammed Umar Garba, stated this during a press briefing in Lagos. He said that the combination of both ₦531.4 million DPV on impounded goods and ₦252.1 million recovered from importers brought the total amount saved for the Federal Government to ₦783 million during the period.
Amongst the smuggled items seized by the Unit were 27 exotic vehicles, 1,237 bags 50 kilograms foreign parboiled rice, 137 bales of second hand cloths and lace materials, used tyres, 147 bags (10kg) of Indian hemp, frozen poultry products, medicaments and other general merchandise.
Garba said that the seized vehicles include Toyota Prado Jeep, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Highlander, Mercedes Benz amongst others, ranging from 2007 to 2013 models respectively.
He said these 27 assorted vehicles alone have a duty paid value of ₦228.2 million. He said that six containers were seized for false declaration and 16 suspects have been arrested in connection with the 54 seizures.