The Nigeria Customs Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2 (JBPT) Southwest Zone, Lagos, has smashed a trans-border ring which specialised in smuggling petroleum products and other prohibited items worth over N1.3billion.
Fifteen suspected notorious smugglers, findings have shown, were also arrested in connection with the seizures, based on the order given by the Comptroller-General of the service, Adewale Adeniyi, it was learnt.
Two suspected human trafficking agents, who violated Immigration laws, it was gathered, had also been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and necessary prosecution.
The team also intercepted 4,019 30 litres kegs of petroleum products at various border points in the zone.
Addressing reporters on Wednesday, in Lagos, the Coordinator of the team, M S Shuaibu disclosed that his team has all the South Western states of the country as its area of responsibility which makes it a tedious exercise, based on the rigorous terrain and the hostile nature characterised with border communities around their area of coverage.
While the Federal Government is committed to ensuring the availability of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to the citizenry, it is disheartening to know that some notorious smugglers are bent on smuggling the products to neighbouring countries for their selfish gain. These groups of unpatriotic citizens will have us to contend with, as the Sector has deployed intelligence to apprehend offenders,” he said.
The quantity of the petroleum product seized by the team, Shuaibu said, was about five trailer loads from the depot.
Customs officials, it was gathered, monitored the petrol smugglers from various filling stations around the border areas for one week, before the clampdown.
