ABUJA: The Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters Monitoring Team, Idiroko Axis, has intercepted 600 bags of rice and five cars valued at N39.05 million.
This was contained in a statement issued in Lagos by Uche Ejesieme, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Operations Unit of NCS, Ikeja, Lagos.
The statement said the Team Coordinator and a Deputy Comptroller, Yahaya Biri, disclosed the seizures.
Biri, according to the statement, said the first seizure of rice was made on July 31 at 04.10 hours on the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway while the team was on patrol.
The Coordinator said the team had trailed the consignment, which was believed must have come from unapproved routes.
He added that the rice consignment with a Duty Paid Value of N3.9 million was inside a DAF truck with registration number XS 250 KTU.
Biri said the two suspects arrested at the point of interception of the consignment had been detained for further interrogation.
He said at 21.40 hours on August 1, the team also intercepted five new Toyota Corolla cars on the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway while acting on an intelligence report.
Biri said the cars had a duty paid value of N35.15 million.
He said importation of rice was not prohibited “but its importation is restricted to the seaports at a duty and levy of 10 per cent and 60 per cent respectively”.
On the new vehicles, he saidthe team shared intelligence reports with other Customs units and commands on ways of effectively tackling smuggling of items.
Biri said hard times awaited smugglers in the days ahead following the fine-tuning of its operational modalities in conjunction with other customs formations.
He said the team in concert with other NCS outfits would remain undaunted in spite of the hostility exhibited by smugglers.
