The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Strike Force Unit has revealed that smugglers have perfected the act of using animals such as camel, cattle, donkeys alongside fuel compartments, booths of vehicles and used tyres to smuggle rice and dangerous goods into Nigeria across the country’s borders.
The Strike Force Unit also told journalists it raised debit notes worth N1 billion from importers, Shippers and clearing within the last 90 days.
Officer In charge of the unit, Deputy Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu said the amount generated would have been lost to smugglers, fraudulent importers and clearing agents who under declared their cargoes at the seaports.
He stated further that the unit in the last three months intercepted foreign parboiled rice, printed label materials, used vehicles, textiles material, used tyres and second out clothing.
He charged importers who were involved in false declaration of cargoes and under declaration to turn a new leave and uphold true declaration.
Shuaibu said “The Comptroller General,strike force zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, generated N1.03billion from debit notes on major and minor infractions on cargoes that exited the seaport at the Tin-Can Island and Apapa ports.”
“The essence of the strike force ICT and raising of alerts on consignments is to raise debit notes. Also, importers and agents that we got these huge Debit notes from won’t appreciate us for what we have done rather that will castigate us.”
DC Shuaibu also raised the alarm of new methods used by smugglers to smuggle contrabands especially rice into the country.
