The Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2 of the Nigeria Customs Service reported that in just one week, 1,410 litres of Premium Motor Spirit valued at N30.4 million were seized.
Mohammad Shuaibu, the team’s coordinator, confirmed this to journalists at the Customs Training College in Ikeja on Friday.
He stated that the team intercepted the contraband within their jurisdiction, and that some were intercepted at the creek.
Shuaibu further stated that the crew seized more contraband totaling N1.12 billion and arrested five individuals in connection with the various seizures.
“In our effort to actualise the mandate of combating smuggling and trans-border crimes, we intercepted some goods for violating various sections of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and the Federal Government’s Import and Export Guidelines, the goods worth, N1.12bn
“They were intercepted across the borders of the six states of the South-West geo-political zone,” he said.
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According to him, the arrested suspects are being investigated and prosecuted.
“Other items seized include, 4, 051 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 3, 751, Jerry Cans of PMS, 425 cartons of frozen poultry products, 912 pieces of used tyres, 30 sacks of cannabis sativa
“30 units of cars as means of conveyance, seven units of imported (tokunbo) cars, four units of motorcycles among others,” he said.
According to the coordinator, the team also generated N11.5 million in revenue by issuing debit notes on vehicles and other things that were improperly smuggled into the nation.
However, Shuaibu revealed that the team apprehended 30 illegal immigrants.
“With the Nigeria Immigration Service as a critical component of the joint border patrol team, we intercepted 30 illegal immigrants suspected to have violated immigration laws and were immediately handed over to the NIS for further investigation and prosecution” Shuaibu disclosed.
He warned smugglers to desist from the crimes adding that they have multiple effects such as, “undermining national security through the movements of illicit goods, such as drugs, weapons, and human trafficking, across the international borders, which impacts negatively on the economy by depleting the nation’s revenue base through evasion of duties and taxes,”
