Men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command have recorded seizures of contraband with duty paid value of more than 311 Million Naira.
The Comptroller of the Command, Bamidele Makinde made this known while Speaking on 5 trailer loads of rice intercepted by his men, including two trailers suspected to be owned by a cement manufacturing company.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command, in July impounded 5 trailer load worth of foreign perboiled rice and out of the vehicles used in conveying the smuggled items, two were suspected to be owned by a cement manufacturing company.
While speaking at the command’s headquarters in Idiroko border, the Controller, Bamidele Makinde, one of the trucks was intercepted along Ibese road while the other was intercepted in Lafenwa area of Abeokuta.
He added that his men also seized used compressors, second hand clothings, foreign wines, vehicles used to convey smuggled items, motorcycles, used tyres, used bags and 310 cartons of poultry frozen products.
He said the Command was able to generate more than thirteen million Naira from import duty and auction sale of seized premium motor spirit.
He added that the command is also doing well in terms of community engagement and corporate social responsibility in the area of sports as the customs football team which comprises of youths from the border communities and officers of the Nigeria Customs service got promotion from division three to division two of the Nigeria league.
He appreciates other security agencies, traditional rulers and community leaders for their support and called for synergy from other stakeholders, in order to be able to checkmate the smugglers successfully in the state.
The Federal Government had placed Rice and some Other items which can be produced or grown locally on the import prohibition list since 2016.
Confiscated contraband items like thi are distributed to Internally Displaced Persons across the Country and in some cases destroyed.