Customs FOU Zone ‘C’ arrests Six (6) suspects for illegal importation

Six persons allegedly caught for smuggling are currently telling officials of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ Owerri of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) zone ‘C’ Owerri, Imo State how they came about the illegal consignments found in their possession.

The command also made 34 seizures in May this year with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of  N88,932,485.00.

Customs Area Controller of the command, DC Victor David Dimka, while briefing journalists in Owerri said the arrest was in addition to 13 cases arising from various illegal imports that were pending in various high courts in Calabar, Owerri, Benin and Enugu.

According to him, out of the total seizures made, 17 were vehicles with a DPV of N24,390,000.00,  which were confiscated mainly in the Benin axis, in Edo State, Agbor and Asaba bridgehead in Delta State. He advised interested buyers of vehicles to endeavour to contact the authorities of the closest Customs formation for verification and clearance of the vehicles in question before making payment, to avoid possible embarrassment and prosecution if Customs duty was not paid on such vehicle.

The Area Controller disclosed that the other items impounded in the Benin, Calabar, Owerri, Port-Harcourt/Eleme axis as well as Agbor Expressway in Delta State include; a container load of  294 bales of textile materials with DPV of N18,874,800.00 and 3 trailer loaded with 50Kg imported rice comprising 1, 357 bags  with a DPV of N32,415,000.00 and 48 pieces of imported  furniture valued at N5,135,250.00.

Dimka decried the spate of smuggling in the country despite efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to reduce to the barest minimum the nefarious business and warned those still engrossed in the act to desist forthwith or be prepared to face the full consequences of their activities if arrested.

He assured that officers and men of the service with the support and motivation of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko CFR are now fully equipped, better informed and trained to meet challenges of the excesses of the smugglers, adding that the NCS would continue to fashion out result oriented strategies and systems that would make smuggling a thing of the past in the country.

DC Dimka, who bemoaned the harm being inflicted on the nation’s economy by smugglers and their sponsors pleaded with members of the public to always assist the NCS with useful, reliable and dependable information bordering on all forms of smuggling so as to ease the operations of the unit.