ABUJA: The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has warned Nigerians to avoid taking smuggling as a business or means of livelihood.
The service also enjoined Nigerians to shun buying contrabands such as frozen poultry products as their harmful to their health.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri, Imo State, Comptroller Victor David Dimka gave the warning while making public the recent exploits of the units in the zone.
He stated that men and officers of the NCS are now better trained and are undergoing capacity building all over the commands and the Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja to meet challenges of tackling smuggling.
The CAC commended sister agencies such as the Police, the Department of State Security (DSS), the NAFDAC and the NDLEA for their sustained support to NCS in its onslaught against smuggling across the country.
He enjoined members of the public to always supply useful information that will enable the establishment to attain greater heights in the performances of its statutory roles and responsibilities.
The Customs chief disclosed that his unit has again seized two new bullet-proof Toyota Prado service utility vehicles (SUVs) among other vehicles and contraband.
He revealed that no fewer than five persons were also arrested in connection with the seizure, which has already sent tongues wagging in some quarters on the motive of the consignees and the licensed customs agents.
The suspects were said to be helping the authorities on what they know about the prohibited items.
The seizure and arrest are coming about two weeks after the same kinds of vehicles among other prohibited items were seized in the same zone by men and officers of the unit.
The two vehicles and the other contrabands have a total duty paid value (DPV) of N545.6 million.
He disclosed the seizures were made along Aba/Eleme axis and Agbor-Benin Expressway within one week, after the unit impounded an illegally imported bullet-proof vehicle.
According to the CAC, the seized 85 bales of second hand clothing has a DPV of N8,160, 000 and 1 x 40 container of 373 bales of used school bags has a DPV of N22,477, 200 at the Customs warehouse in Owerri; while a total of 13 smuggled vehicles, all brand new models which include two bullet-proof Toyota Prado SUVs, nine Toyota Land Cruiser and three Toyota Corolla cars with DPV of N285,242,000 were similarly showcased at Government Warehouse, Benin City.
He revealed that in addition, two trucks carrying a total of 1,220 bags of 50kg rice with DPV of N22, 814, 000 were impounded among other smuggled trucks with DPV of N110,187, 000 and numerous cartons of imported frozen poultry products with DPV of N96,770,840.00 which were already destroyed.
According to Dimka, the banned items secretly smuggled into the country, fell into the hands of the eagle-eyes of the officers. This is in line with the resolve of the service to maximise revenue generation for the nation and also ensure a stronger, more oriented, vibrant and efficient Customs Service.