The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ’C’ has intercepted cannabis sativa, raw materials for production of explosive devices and other contraband with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Billion, Six Hundred and Forty-Eight Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-Four Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy-One Naira (N1,648,494,571.00), it told journalists on Monday.
The zone also arrested nine suspects in connection with the seizures within the period of July 25 to September 23rd 2023 in its drive to curb smuggling within its areas of jurisdiction.
The Acting Comptroller, FOUC, Deputy Comptroller Kayode Kolade, who spoke to journalists at the Government Warehouse, Aduwawa, Benin City, frowned at the spate of smuggling in the zone but added that he successfully recovered the sum of Fifty-Four Million, Two Hundred and Forty-four Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy One Naira (54,244,571.00).
Other contraband confiscated include 417 sacks of cannabis sativa also known as Indian hemp weighing 9,194kg and 627 compressed parcels of same Indian hemp 1kg each totalling 627kg, and 9 sacks 50kg each of explosives’ raw materials.
The rest are 1,329 bags, 50kg each of smuggled foreign parboiled rice; 5 cartons of DSP Cough Syrup with codeine 100mg containing 1000 bottles; 1 unit of armoured Bullion Van; 761 jumbo bales of second hand clothing; 883 cartons of various unregistered/expired medicaments including tramadol; 100 cartons of various wines; 5,737 pieces of used pneumatic tyres; 335 cartons of smuggled foreign tomato paste; 300 cartons of foreign spaghetti.
Kayode said “Based on prompt intelligence and sting operation, the rice was intercepted along Calabar/Akwa Ibom axis and Okada/Benin expressway, the 417 sacks and 627 parcels of Indian hemp were intercepted at Okada-Benin and Ewu-Auchi Expressway respectively. 761 Jumbo bales of used clothing mostly concealed in trucks and buses were intercepted along Umeikaa/Aba Road and Okada-Benin road.
“The 5 cartons of DSP cough syrup with codeine, and 883 cartons of unregistered medicaments were intercepted along Benin/Asaba/Onitsha Expressway.
The armoured Bullion Van without customs documents and End User Certificate was intercepted along Okada/Benin Expressway. 100 cartons of wine and 335 tomatoes paste were intercepted along Ewu/Ibilo axis, 5,737 pieces of used pneumatic tyres were also intercepted along Cross River waterside and Okada-Benin Expressway “, he said.
