ABUJA: The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has displayed 15 vehicles laden with smuggled goods with duty paid value (DPV) of N28,990,848.78 in Ibadan, Oyo state. The Customs area controller for the Oyo command, Emmanuel Udo-Aka, told journalists that the seizures were effected on Saturday, 17th June, 2017 along Saki axis in synergy with the headquarters compliance team and Customs Intelligence Unit of the Oyo axis based on a tip-off from the information network led by DSC Alajogun Joseph. A statement from the NCS said a MAN Diesel truck concealed with 172 pieces of used tyres and 272 pieces of vehicle wheels with duty paid value of N1,587,936.00 was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on June 9 2017.
According to the comptroller, the smugglers had used the vehicles to conceal the prohibited items which included second hand clothing, foreign rice and other contraband goods.
The statement obtained by NAIJ.com said: “In keeping faith with the service’s resolve to combat smuggling activities, the command had initiated new anti-smuggling strategies which led to remarkable exploits as evidenced in the latest seizures recorded.” A total of 13 assorted vehicles were also seized with a DPV N23,337,139 While appealing for continued support from members of the public, Udo-Aka noted with concern that it is worrisome that some unpatriotic Nigerians still remained unrepentant despite the stern warning against smuggling and even as they continue to lose. He said: “It is disheartening that some members of the public especially the elders do come to plead for the release of seized smuggled goods. “The service will not tolerate smuggling either from the public or from the officers who might want to connive with the smugglers.
