Customs Seizes Items Worth N92m in North Central Zone
By Ernest Victor
The Joint Border Patrol Team for North Central Sector 3 has seized premium motor spirit (PMS), foreign rice and other items worth N92, 547,752.00 in four months.
The COORDINATOR JOINT BORDER PATROL TEAM,
COMPT. OLUGBOYEGA PETERS psc disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing newsmen at the sector headquarters in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital.
Compt Peters said the seizures cover the team’s performances from April to August 2021.
According to him, Smuggling is an illegal transportation of objects, substances or goods across the National borders, through unapproved routes or illegal means in order to evade payment of duty.
”Such items include Worn cloths, Drugs, Arms and Ammunition, Rice, Used Vehicles, Frozen poultry products, Petrol etc. Within the period under review, the smuggling activities at Sector 3 have been reduced by an impressive 85% due to the way we are policing our areas of responsibility in line with the Federal Government directives on Partial Closure of our National Borders.” The Coordinator added.
The items seized include; 650 Sacks of 60liters each of Diesel (39,000 liters), 1,735 Bags of foreign parboiled Rice of 50Kg each, 1,415 Jeri cans of 25 liters of Petroleum Products each (36,525 liters), 33 Used Vehicles, 12 Bales of worn clothing and 10 Motorcycles
He revealed that the Federal Government as part of efforts to curb smuggling of petroleum product has approved the reactivation of Operation White Hilux Team, designed to control the smuggling of petroleum products across the border.
Peters said the Nigeria Customs Service in collaboration with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will use Operation White Hilux Team to control the smuggling of petroleum products across the border.
”Just yesterday, the sector 3 held a sensitization meeting with IPMAN Kwara State Chapter and Petrol station owners about the do’s and don’ts, as heavy sanction/penalty await any erring persons or group of persons”. He explained.