The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Federal
Operations Unit, FOU, Zone ‘C’ Owerri, has
impounded 906 cartons of fake drugs and arrested
34 suspects in connection with the goods.
Meanwhile, the Command currently has over 18
cases in court, arising from smuggling and
contraband trading through the borders and
waterways.
The Customs Area Comptroller, CAC, of the unit,
Haruna Mmamudu, said the successes were
possible because Zone C stepped up security
surveillance in the entire Command.
He said: “The society must see smuggling as a
serious crime and economic sabotage capable of
killing local industries. We are working tirelessly to
boost revenue generation for government, blocking
all loopholes to ensure that our local industries
thrive.
“Between January and March this year, we recorded
a total of 70 seizures with a duty paid value of
N663 milion. Underpayment recovered stood at
N214.9 million, which is against N7,053,441
recovered in the same period in 2015.
“Contraband goods confiscated include 46 vehicles,
380 cartons of article of plastics, 1,656 pieces of
used tyres, 3,614 cartons of imported frozen poultry
products and 818 cartons of foreign detergents.
“Others were 181 bales of textile fabrics, 737
pieces of suitcases, 85 bundles of footwears, 120
packages of furniture, 906 cartons of unregistered
drugs.
“All of these were seized on the Benin axis, Agbor,
Onitsha-Asaba, Owerri, Calabar and Aba-Eleme
roads. Aside from these, over 19 trucks of 50kg
rice impounded by our men had been detained for a
thorough investigation.
“There is no hiding place for smugglers, as men of
NCS are ready to dislodge them wherever they are.
Our officers are now better trained, well equipped
and motivated to deal with nefarious activities of
smugglers.” http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/customs-seizes-906-cartons-fake-drugs-arrests-34-suspects/