ABUJA: The onslaught against smugglers by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has yielded more results as its Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “C” Owerri has seized contraband worth N197 million in one month.
The 48 seizures have a duty paid value (DPV) of N197.3 million.
Within the period under review, the service also arrested 30 persons suspected to be smugglers. These were disclosed by the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the zone, David Victor Dimka, in the briefing for the month of July 2015.
He explained that the 30 suspects arrested by his men in connection with the smuggling, which occurred on the Benin/Asaba express way, Owerri/Port Harcourt Road and Enugu are presently helping the authorities with what they know about the seizures.
The Customs chief revealed that no fewer than 20 cases are now pending in court in respect of the seizures just as an under-payment of N24 million was also recovered.
Giving an insight to the seizures, he said they comprise 69 bales of second hand clothing, 39 vehicles, 139 pieces of used tyres, 244 pairs of used foot wears and 60 bags of 50kg bags of rice.
While noting that the increased number of exotic vehicles seized by his unit on daily basis, Dimka advised members of the public who wish to purchase vehicles to ensure that they go through the official channels and to always verify from NCS before investing their money.
He warned that since ignorance of the law is no excuse, all illegally imported goods would be impounded by men and officers of his unit whenever and wherever they are intercepted.
According to him, NCS will never succumb to senseless and irrational pleadings for leniency and pardon by individuals caught in the act of smuggling. That, he said, would amount to compromising the statutory responsibilities of the establishment.
The CAC, who decried the upsurge of smuggling of contraband goods in the country despite obvious stiff penalties for culprits, assured that the NCS would never be deterred in its patriotic mission to bring the scourge to its barest minimum.
While lamenting the harm being inflicted on the nation’s economy by smugglers, their sponsors and collaborators, he warned such unpatriotic individuals to desist from their nefarious activities as the NCS is now better equipped, trained and motivated to tackle the scourge of smuggling with dexterity and pragmatism.
He reminded those still involved in the smuggling to be mindful of the fact that the shady deal had brought sorrows and grief to those arrested and their families, stressing that they should turn over to a new leaf, before it is too late.
The CAC cautioned youths to purge themselves of what he called “get-rich quick-mentality”, noting that the quest for materialism by many often push them into crimes and other illicit activities such as impersonating Customs officers on social media.
He advised those seeking white cola jobs to avail themselves of the opportunity being provided by the various skill acquisition centres, where they can be trained for self economic reliance.
He applauded members of the public who often provide the unit with relevant information that has led to the arrest of smugglers.
He gave an assurance that such highly classified information will never be divulged in line with the ethics of the profession.
