Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Strike Force on Wednesday carried out the CGC directive to invade warehouses and markets to sniff out smuggled foreign rice and contrabands smuggled into the country through the South-West states.
Coordinator of the CGC’s Strike Force, Zone A, Lagos, Deputy Compt. Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu, said the directive, which was aimed at boosting Nigeria rice local production yielded results as it seized 1,930 bags of 50kg smuggled rice hidden in various warehouses in Lagos and Ogun State,
He bemoaned the high rate of cargoes that are falsely declared by importers as machineries in order to evade Customs duty and levy and said the unit generated N708millon in the last two weeks.
Shuaibu said 1,227 rolls of chiffon textiles materials, 18 pallets of perfumes, cosmetics and bags, 2,064 cartons of electric bulbs as well as 1,810 cartons of alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines were all seized and will be forfeited to the federal government.
He said, “1,930 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice in two weeks. This is to ensure that the country is rid of smuggled foreign parboiled rice as we have instructions of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) that markets and warehouses of smugglers should be raided and smuggled rice evacuated.”
He affirmed that following the heat from the unit, smugglers have found it difficult to move smuggled foreign rice from the border in large quality but now transport them in batches through motorcycles also known as Okada.
On dealing with infractions by the team, the strike force coordinator said, “We have various degrees of infractions on cargoes that were seized. Cargoes such as perfumes, non-alcoholic wines, electric bulbs, foot wears, bags and shoes that were falsely declared as machineries and washing machines.”
“Perfumes, non-alcoholic wines, electric bulbs, textiles are dutiable but foreign footwears, bags are banned because we have factories investing heavily and employing Nigerians to produce so, we must encourage them to do more and must not discourage them through importation of those items into the country.”
Shuaibu further stated that the falsely declared cargoes have been seized outrightly and will be forfeited to the federal government.
“We are still appealing to our stakeholders that they should work hand in hand to ensure that proper declaration and they should join hands and change their habit. Perfume is dutiable but once it is falsely declared it is liable to seizure. Also, non-alcoholic wines are liable to seizure, we have factories that produces wines so, we should patronise them to boost the economy.”
“Chiffon materials brought in as sealing machines when we have textiles companies all around the country closing down but, we will plead for genuine declaration and patriotism though, it was dutiable but because it was falsely declared, it remained seized.”
Disclosing why importers prefer false declaration to honest declaration of cargoes, Shuaibu said machineries pay five percent customs duty and are not levied while other luxury goods like perfumes, non-alcoholic wines have high Customs duty with import levy.