N1.7bn seizures: FOU’s crippling of smugglers

For some smugglers plying Nigerian borders, November 2017 will remain a month of grief for a long time to come. AJIBOLA ABAYOMI reports
Smuggling being one of the challenges affecting the growth of the nation’s economy had assumed different dimensions with different tactics orchestrated by smugglers to beat customs and other the law enforcement agencies.

Low patronage for local goods
Over the years, the effect and activities of smugglers across the borders have been limiting the patronage of home grown products.
These developments according to the Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mohammed Uba is a major threat not only to the economy but the general wellbeing of Nigerians.

More efforts against smuggling
Thus, against this background, Uba while addressing the media on the latest seizure recorded by his command for the month of November said that his men would not relent until all smugglers turned a new leaf or get frustrated out business.
This, he said was what motivated his men to ensure that a total of N1,595,141, 144, 81 smuggled worth of goods were seized at different spots in the month.
“On no account will anyone caught in the illegal business go free. Nigerians must realise that any patronage for foreign goods, especially banned items means additional job for another country, while our people remain jobless. This mentality must change; we have a duty to cooperate with the government to develop our own economy together” said the disturbed Controller.

What is the breakdown like
Giving the breakdown of the seizures, he said: “The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit’s anti smuggling operations from 1-30 November, 2017, after intensifying our operational modalities to meet up with the current smuggling tactics most especially as the yuletide draws closer, we have intercepted various contraband with Duty Paid Value (DPV) N1, 595,141, 144, 81.
“The seized items include 64 assorted vehicles mostly brand new, 13,333 bags of foreign parboiled rice in 22 trailers, 1,390 cartoons of frozen poultry products, 835 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 15 parcels of Indian Hemp, 1,101, pieces of used tyres, 205 bales of used policy on rice. All these affect the business our local rice farmers, the millers because it will not encourage Nigerians to patronize our own nutritional rice.
“Also, vehicles include two Lexus Jeep (Bullet Proof), One Toyota Land Cruiser (Bullet Proof), 9 Toyota Hilux, 8 Toyota Hiace Bus, 26 Toyota Corolla, 9 Land cruiser Jeep, 5 Toyota Camry, one Land Rover, a Nissan Sentra, one Pejero Jeep, all 2017 models. Also, a Sienna of 2015 model and one Lexus RX 350 among others luxurious cars were intercepted.
“These 64 assorted vehicles alone have a DPV of One million, Three Hundred and two million, nine hundred and twenty seven thousand, one hundred and six naira, sixteen kobo (N1, 301,927,106.16).

Use of intelligence
While 57 vehicles were evacuated based on intelligence along Omole Estate, Ojodu and Olayiwole Close Lekki Phase 1, the remaining 7 were intercepted while on information patrol along Ijebu Ode Expressway and Olorunda.”
Lamenting the rate at which some desperate smugglers cheat Nigerians using foreign brand, Uba noted:
“Do you know that some of these so called smugglers will re-bag our own locally produced rice with foreign sack and resell in the market? We caught some of them with several sacks inside the trailer conveying the rice and we were amazed at what they do with it to resell the Nigerian made rice.
“You will be shocked that the smugglers and their agents tried all sort of tricks to beat the customs through false declaration. Let me tell you the relevant sections of the law are very clear. The moment you are caught in that act, smuggling crime has been committed and the goods will be confiscated at the spot without further delay.”

Customs papers
Concerning the fleet of cars intercepted he said: “As I speak with you, nobody has come forward to claim ownership yet because we doubt if they have customs papers on the vehicles, no to talk of End-User Certificate for the bullet proof. Our legal unit has already been mandated to investigate it and as soon as we get any head way about the owners or their agents, we will let the public know.
“Apart from that a total of 17/20 feet containers loaded with wood are under detention on the suspicion that they have not met the required guidelines for export. Also 1/20 feet container was seized for carrying 385 cartoons of Tiffany Crunch n’ Cream biscuit, 2,300 cartoons of Tiffany chocolate and Toffee Sweet as against Engine Block declared in the declaration form. This is clear case of false declaration which is tantamount to seizure.
“Within the period under review, we have also recovered One Hundred and Eight Million, Three Hundred and Six Thousand, Eighteen Naira, Twenty Five Kobo (N108,306,018.25) making a cumulative of One Billion, Seven Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Naira, Six Kobo (N1,703,447,163.06).”

Nigerians should assist
For FOU Controller, the NCS cannot do it alone with the cooperation of Nigerians and other related agencies of government.
He said the fight against smuggling would not have been successful at any level if the public did not make inputs, saying “in the spirit of inter-agency collaboration, the seized items Indian hemp will be handed over to National Drug, Law and Enforcement Administration (NAFDAC) for further investigations.
“However, 5 suspects have been arrested in connection with the 185 seizures and are currently in our custody. Let me thank the Comptroller General of Customs Colonel Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management Team of the NCS providing the necessary logistics that brought about these feet.
“ More importantly, let me also thank the media for the continued support to inform, sensitise and educate the general public on the effects of the smuggling on the nation.”
Ivory trade: FG seizes 55 elephant tusks
The Nigerian government took a step in enforcing the global ban on illegal ivory trade as it seized dozens of elephant tusks illegally imported into the country.
Every year, hundreds of African elephants and rhinoceros are poached and killed for their tusks in the illegal multi-million dollar trade, with most shipped to Asian and Western countries, which endangers African elephants.
Last week, European and American conservation leaders called on governments worldwide to support African nations to put an end to the trade in elephant ivory.
At the 69th meeting of CITES ( the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Geneva, ivory trade was a major topic.
On Wednesday, the Nigeria Customs Service confirmed the seizure of about 55 calibre of elephant tusks along the Nigeria-Cameroon boarder.
The Area Controller in charge of Adamawa and Taraba Commands, Francis Adetoye, made the disclosure at a press briefing in Yola.
Mr. Adetoye said that the success was recorded following a joint anti-smuggling and drugs patrol in collaboration with sister agencies in the state.
“On November 20, the command’s anti-smuggling team successfully seized 55 huge size of elephant tusks being smuggling into Nigeria from a neighbouring country,” he said.
It is not clear if Nigeria was the final destination of the ivory or just a transit point. Mr. Adetoye did not also indicate if the importers were arrested and what will happen to the seized tusks.
The official also spoke on other seizures made by the Customs.
“From January to November, the command recorded 43 seizures with the total Duty Paid Value of N119.77 million naira.
“The seizures include, foreign rice, fairly used vehicles and other used textiles,’’ he said.
He emphasised that the command has given special focus on seizure of rice with the aim of reinforcing federal government’s commitment toward encouraging local production of the commodity.

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