ABUJA: The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “C” Owerri has recorded a total of 226 seizures of contraband items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1, 016,833,292.00.
The unit also arrested 129 suspects in connection with the smuggling of various contraband goods between January and June this year. Also 118 cases are pending in various courts within the zone.
The Customs Area Controller of the unit, Comptroller Dimka, Victor David disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the seizures recorded by his unit within the first half of the year 2015.
He said the zone, in March, recorded a total of 63 seizures with a DPV of N337, 368,522.00 which according to him was the highest seizure with 25 within the period under review.
The figure he said was at variance with 37 seizures with a DPV of N176, 483,600 made in January while 40 seizures with of DPV of N136, 708,650 were recorded in February.
For April, 37 seizures were recorded with DPV of N83, 302,620 while in May, 42 seizures were made with DPV of N141, 228,100.
In June, 47 seizures were also recorded with DPV of N138, 341,400. He attributed the massive seizures made in March to stronger quest for materialism by the suspects involved.
The Customs Area Controller expressed concern at the persistent cases of smuggling in the country despite obvious stiff penalties for those arrested.
