ABUJA: Nigeria Customs Service yesterday said it seized a total of 1,803 cartons of banned poultry products in its first week of special operation against importation of frozen foods, tagged operation “Hawk Descend.”
According to a statement yesterday by the national public relations officer of the service, Wale Adeniyi, the poultry products, seized mainly in the South Western axis of the Nigerian-Benin border, is estimated to be worth over N12 million.
Adeniyi explained that most of the seizures were made when commercial vehicles conveying them into the country were apprehended by customs officers.
He, however, noted that a significant number of the seizures were made on the Iyafin Badagry waterways on the lagoon that stretches through the Nigeria-Benin border. A breakdown of the seizures showed that the Federal Operations Unit seized a total of 975 cartons, Seme Command 461 cartons, Oyo/Osun Command 247 cartons while the Western Marine Command seized a total of 110 cartons, totaling 1,803 cartons.
Assessing the success of the first week of the operation, the comptroller-general of customs, Abdullahi Dikko, acknowledged the support of border communities in effecting the seizures. He commended them for obliging customs patrol officers with reliable intelligence about the activities of poultry products, smugglers and cold room operators.
