ABUJA: The Nigeria Customs Operation Hawk Descend has seized over N45 billion poultry products smuggled into the country since the launch of the operation in July.
This is contained in a statement signed by Customs Public Relations Officer, Mr Wale Adeniyi, at the weekend in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that Hawk Descend was Federal Operations Units of the customs that was launched in July 2015
Adeniyi said in the statement that the duty paid value was the highest recorded since the launch of the operation.
According to the breakdown of the seizures; Ogun Command quantity of seizure is 6, 565 cartons and duty paid value is N2, 937,441.00
“Federal Operation Unit (FOU) A (Lagos) quantity of seizure is 1,395 cartons and duty paid value is N7, 533,000.00.”
“FOU B (Kaduna) quantity of seizure is 6,000 cartons and duty paid value is N35,000,000 and the total quantity is 13,960 cartons value at N 45,470,441,’’ Adeniyi said.
He said that assessing the seizure trend, Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi, said that smugglers of poultry products were exploring routes in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country.
The customs spokesman said that the special operation had made life difficult for smugglers in the South-Western flank.
According to him, Abdullahi commended the FOU in Lagos and Kaduna for their huge seizures, adding that the FOU in the two states had put other Commands on alert.
“Last week, FOU operatives in Kaduna apprehended two trucks conveying smuggled poultry products at Gidan Wali, along Babana border in Niger State,’’ he added.
Adeniyi said that the success of operation Hawk Descend had attracted the commendation from the Poultry Association of Nigeria.
He said the President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mr Onallo Akpa, had expressed appreciation for the outstanding performance in containment of smuggled poultry products.
He added that farmers also commended FOU performance through various acts of onslaught, arrests and confiscation of smuggled poultry products into the Country.
Adeniyi recalled that the Nigeria Customs had signed a bilateral agreement with the Customs Administration of Benin Republic to synergise and share intelligence to boost operations along the borders.
He said that to actualise the agreement, the Nigeria Customs had supported Benin Customs Administration with a donation of five new pick-up double cabin vehicles.
