By Ahmed AHMED
The Federal Operations Unit, (FOU), Zone D of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS,) Bauchi said it impounded contraband goods worth N1.1 billion between January to August 2023.
Acting Controller of the Zone Mr. Joseph Adelaja stated this while briefing Journalists on the smuggling of contraband goods on Wednesday in Bauchi.
He said the unit is saddled with the responsibility of enforcing customs laws, implementing Government Fiscal policies and suppression of smuggling within the Zone.
Adelaja explained that for the period under review, the unit has made a total of 88 seizures.
“With cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all the seized items stands at One Billion, One Hundred and Seventy Eight Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Thirty Three Naira Only N1,178,821,033-
The unit has intercepted contrabands that include 9-sacks of Pangolin Scales and Claws weighing 396.4kg.
Two Live birds (African Crowned Crane, one live Antelope Gazelle.
One piece of Lion bone and a plastic container of lion fat.
Others are 88 cartons of insecticides. 342 Packs of foreign candy,190 cartons of flavored powdered drinks,23- sacks of used shoes, 1800-Bags of sugar 50 kg each,343- bags of fertilizer, UREA/NPK.
The Contrabands include 328 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled,66 cartons of foreign Soap,50 cartons of foreign spaghetti,
Others are 54 Jerrycans of foreign vegetable oil 25 liters each, 3 units used imported vehicles,11 vehicles as means of conveyance and 174,585-liters of petroleum products.
The acting Controller said the seizures were made possible as a result of robust information gathering and credible intelligence sharing by other customs units and resilient patrol officers of the unit.
He appeals to patriotic citizens to provide credible information to the service to curb the menace of these unscrupulous smugglers who are bent on crippling the economy of the great nation.
The Customs boss warned that anyone caught in the act will be dealt with according to the provisions of the law.