OWERRI: THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’, Owerri, seized 226 contraband items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1,016,833,292.
It also arrested 129 suspects in connection with the smuggling of various contraband goods between January and June this year, while 118 cases are pending in various courts within the zone.
The Customs Area Controller, Dimka Victor David, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the seizures recorded by his unit within the first half of year 2015.
He stated that the unit recorded 63 seizures in March with a DPV of N337,368,522, which according to him, was the highest seizure.
Within the period under review, the unit made 25 arrests, David added.
The figure, he said, was at variance with 37 seizures with a DPV of N176,483,600 made in January, 40 seizures with of DPV of N136,708,650 in February, 37 seizures with DPV of N83,302,620 in April, 42 seizures with DPV of N141,228,100 in May and 47 seizures with DPV of N138, 341,400 in June.
He attributed the large haul in March to stronger quest for materialism by the suspects involved in an ever-increasing corruption prone society.
David listed more seizures as 210 vehicles, 990 bales of textiles and second hand clothing, 126 packages of furniture and 296 bales of fairly used bags and suitcases worth N456,704,500; N101,805,700; N19,584,000; and N30,143,400 respectively.
Others, according to him, 3,905 pieces of used tyres amounting to N53,502,100; 2,126 cartons of imported frozen poultry products worth N30,566,804; 1,731 bags of 50kg rice worth N35,678,600; beverages and juice worth N72,000.
Also seized were 2,686 pieces of used footwear estimated at N6,253,800; 37 cartons of foreign soap and detergents with 202 cartons of foreign vegetable oil amounting to N6,874,020; other goods, which include electrical and electronics parts with used fridges and compressors, machinery, all used for concealing the items worth N303,391,772.
He expressed concern at the persistent cases of smuggling in the country despite obvious stiff penalties for those arrested.
While appealing to members of the public for cooperation and support in the onslaught against smuggling, David assured that the NCS has been better trained, equipped and transformed to meet its challenges.
He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Abdullahi Dikko Inde, for his sustained motivation and support to men of the service in the discharge of their duties, noting that these had strengthened their spirit and commitment in the fight against smuggling
