Customs FOU ‘A’ Intercepts N3.24bn Smuggled Goods, Recovers N729m Revenue

ZAINAB JUNAID

The Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ (FOU ‘A’), Ikeja-Lagos, has intercepted 220 consignments of prohibited and smuggled goods with a total duty-paid value of N3.24 billion and recovered N728.98 million in lost revenue.

This seizures were recorded through intelligence-led operations involving risk profiling, compliance checks and targeted enforcement against suspicious declarations and other customs violations in eight weeks.

Among the items intercepted were 4,956 bags of foreign parboiled rice weighing 50kg each, equivalent to eight trailer loads; 12 foreign-used vehicles; 2,683 parcels of synthetic cannabis (Sativa) weighing 1,439.9kg; 49 parcels of Ghanaian Loud weighing 26.1kg; one parcel of crystal methamphetamine weighing 0.35kg; and 13 parcels of granular cannabis weighing 1.35kg.

The Unit also seized 240,000 tablets of Tramadol, 12,000 tablets of Hypnox, 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg, 964 25-litre jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), equivalent to 24,100 litres, and 26 cartons of foreign vegetable oil containing four 5-litre units each.

Other items included 686 cartons of foreign poultry products, 414 bales of used clothing and 2,947 used tyres.

Speaking on the latest seizures, the Comptroller of the Unit, Gambo Aliyu, described the N728.98 million revenue recovery as encouraging, stating the Unit would continue to identify and recover revenue lost through under-declaration, false declarations and other forms of customs fraud.

Comptroller Aliyu urged importers, exporters and licensed customs agents to make accurate declarations and comply with customs laws and regulations, stressing that the unit would continue to facilitate legitimate trade while taking action against smuggling and revenue evasion.

He said the interception of prohibited food products, foreign-used vehicles, used clothing and other restricted items would help protect domestic industries, support food security and safeguard government revenue.

According to him, the seizure of illicit drugs, pharmaceutical products and other controlled substances would also help protect public health, while the recovery of elephant tusks underscored the Customs Service’s role in combating illegal wildlife trafficking.

Aliyu attributed the seizures and revenue recovery to enhanced intelligence gathering, risk profiling, inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing, as well as cooperation from stakeholders and members of the public.

He assured compliant traders of the Service’s continued commitment to a fair, predictable and transparent trading environment, while warning that the unit would sustain enforcement against smuggling, revenue fraud and other customs-related offences.

The Nigeria Customs Service through the Unit said the operations were part of its broader efforts to protect domestic production, promote compliance, facilitate legitimate trade and prevent the entry and circulation of prohibited and harmful goods