ABUJA: The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said that it seized 241,278 rice worth N1.4 billion in duty and value in 2014 fiscal year.
This is contained in the Rice Seizure Report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja by the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Wale Adeniyi.
According to the report, the quantity of rice seized in 2014 was 76,244 bags higher than the 165,034 bags seized in 2013.
It represents 68.4 per cent increase.
It also showed that the bags of rice were confiscated in 2,719 seizures against 2, 707 seizures made in 2013.
The comparative analysis of the duty and value of rice seized during the year with the previous year also showed an increase in the service’s anti-smuggling activities from the previous year.
A monthly breakdown of the figures showed that 26,986 bags of rice worth N157.33 million from 227 seizures were made in January 2014.
This is against the 14,859 bags worth N86.63 million in 291 seizures made in February.
In March, 24,970 bags worth N91.34 million in 238 seizures were recorded, while 29,689 bags worth N147.21 million in 354 seizures were recorded in the month of April.
A further breakdown of the report revealed that 23,184 bags worth N135.16 million in 301 seizures were recorded in May and 15,441 bag worth N90.02 million in 201 seizures in June.
It showed that 15,990 bags worth N93.22 million in 167 seizures were recorded in July while 20,823 bags worth N121.39 million in 264 seizures in August.
According to the report, 24,505 bags worth N142.86 million in 193 seizures were recorded in September and the month of October recorded 23,365 bags worth N136.22 million in 131 seizures.
It added that 11,531 bags worth N67.22 million in 200 seizures were recorded in November 2014 while 9,935 bags worth N57.92 million in 152 seizures were recorded in December the same year.
