Customs strike force impounds 5 trailer-loads of smuggled rice worth ₦42m in 7days
The strike force on smuggling of foreign parboiled rice set up by the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC has intercepted five trailers of rice with Duty Paid Value (DPV) worth ₦42 million.
The seized smuggled rice numbering about 3000 bags of 50 kilogram, kg were concealed inside containers and trucks belonging to corporate organisations.
The zonal commander of the strike force, Zone A, Salisu Assababullah, said the interception was made at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. He said the strike force was able to make the seizure through intelligence it gathered on the fresh way of smuggling parboiled rice into the country.
Assababullah said, “The CGC task force intercepted 3000 bags of 50kg rice smuggled into the country. They were intercepted along Ijebu-Ode expressway with two suspects in custody.
“We were able to get intelligence report that container laden trucks were taken to the border area, load it with smuggled rice and put seal as if it were a container released from seaports.”
Assababullah attributed the success recorded to the efficiency of members of the team and also acknowledged the federal government provision of brand new pickup for anti-smuggling which he said aided in the recent interceptions made.
Recall that the Federal Executive Council, FEC approved the sum of N1.6 billion for the procurement of 68 brand new Ford Pickup operational vehicles for Customs.
He noted that the strike force got nine vehicles from the 68 vehicles approved by FEC for anti-smuggling and in two weeks, the strike force was able to intercept 3000 smuggled rice.
He however advised smugglers to engage in legitimate business as the ad-hoc body knows their antics and they will be caught.
“After the FG’s approval of anti – smuggling vehicles the zonal strike force was given nine vehicles and we have been able to make these large seizures.”
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