Customs intercept N30bn smuggled rice, vehicles, others at Seme, Idiroko borders

Barely a month of reopening of the land borders by the Federal Government, activities of smugglers at the Seme and Idiroko borders have reached frightening heights as operatives of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Monday disclosed that it intercepted smuggled foreign parboiled rice, used vehicles, textiles materials and Indian hemp valued at over N30 billion, the seized goods were smuggled into Nigeria from neighbouring Benin Republic.

Acting Customs Area Controller, FOU, Zone A, Ag. Compt. Usman Yahaya told reporters that the contrabands were intercepted between January 1st 2021 till date.

Other intercepted materials were fake and unregistered pharmaceuticals that are worth N51 Million along Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State as well as Indian hemp smuggled from Ghana to Iseyin in Oyo state.

Yahaya said “After the opening of the Seme border by the federal government, the smugglers thought they could cash on it to perpetrate their evil act, but the unit left them with heavy losses as evidenced in the seizures.”

The details showed that a total of 142,677 seizures of different items were intercepted just as the customs boss vowed never to relent in making the environment conducive for smugglers.

“A quick glance at the period under review, the Unit intercepted and seized a total of 142,677 seizures of different items. 41,652 bags of 50kg smuggled parboiled rice from Idiroko, ipokia, imeko, iseyin, igbo-ora and Seme; 1,356 bags of 25kg smuggled parboiled rice; 4,529kg of Indian hemp smuggled from Ghana to Islington in Oyo State worth N710million.

Others are, 66 packs of Tramadol and other unregistered pharmaceuticals products; 5,849 cartons of fake drugs; 266 units of means of conveyance and 218 used vehicles.

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