…intercepts 29,905 bags of rice
The Ogun State Area Command, Nigeria Customs Service, has said it has intercepted 29,905 bags of smuggled foreign rice within its areas of jurisdiction between January and June this year.
He said the command recorded revenue of N6,735bn, overshooting its targeted revenue of N3.860bn by N2.874bn.
The Controller of the command, Michael Agbara, disclosed these pieces of information on Tuesday, while briefing journalists about the activities of the command at its Idiroko border office in Ipokia Local Government Area, Ogun State.
He said that the command had increased the tempo of its anti-smuggling operations.
Agbara added that the operatives also impounded 197 used vehicles popularly known as ‘Tokunbo’ within the period under review.
He noted that the seizure of over 29, 905 bags of rice in the first half year of 2019 was indeed a landmark among numerous successes recorded as compared to 15, 976 bags of rice seized during the corresponding period of the year 2018.
While listing other seizures within the period, Agbara explained that 466 kegs of vegetable oil (25 litres each), 27 units of motorcycles used as means of conveyance, 9, 407 pairs of new shoes and 1,042 pairs used ones were also made.
Other seizures include 427 cartons of frozen poultry products, 25 bales and 29 sacks of second-hand clothing, 12 sacks Ankara wrappers, 11 sacks of Indian Hemp, 583 pieces of used tyres and 1,181 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) of 25 litres each among others.
Agbara said the command made 549 seizures within the period under review which had a total duty payable value of N1. 235bn.
He added that within the month of June, the command generated revenue of N1.196bn, while in the area of anti-smuggling, it made a total of 83 seizures with duty payable value of N310 million.
The Controller noted that all these achievements were possible with the cooperation the command received from other sister security agencies, media, community leaders and other stakeholders in the state.
