Customs in Niger/Kogi intercepts foreign rice conceals with sugarcane

Customs in Niger/Kogi intercepts foreign rice conceals with sugarcane

By Udeme Clement

It was another moment of shock, as the Niger/Kogi Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, intercepted a truck loaded with 292 bags of foreign rice concealed with sugarcane.

The Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the Command,  Mr Lomba Benjamin disclosed this in a press statement signed and made available  to Financial Business News.

He explained,  “Our operatives seized Iveco truck with two different registration  numbers XD 146 LSD (in front) and XD 146 SLD (behind), loaded with 292 bags of imported rice. The rice was concealed with sugarcane by smugglers, in order to escape arrest by officers on routine patrol.

“Notwithstanding, the truck was intercepted along Dikko-Suleja-Abuja road in Niger State, by one of the patrol teams led by ASC I MOHAMMED BATURE on information patrol in the early hours of Wednesday, November 6, 2019. The Duty Paid Value, DPV, of the rice is N4,964,000.

“It is unfortunate that despite the quantity of Rice and Vehicular seizures in this Command in the past, some economic saboteurs still engage in unpatriotic act of smuggling.

“Recall that just two weeks ago the Command intercepted a diesel truck loaded with 197 bags of imported rice, with DPV of N3,349,000.

“We have been recording victory over these recalcitrant saboteurs.  Last month, the Command re-sharpened its intelligence network, which led to five seizures comprising 1,481 bags of imported foreign rice with DPV of N25,177,000; five vehicles with DPV of N14,337,000 and nine  bales of Second hand clothes with DPV of N720,000.

“The above seizures were made at different locations within the Command namely;   Wawa, Babanna, New Bussa axis in Borgu Local Government Area, Tungankawo, Tunganwawa axis in Kontagora Local Government Area, Mokwa, Kudu, Kpaki axis in Mokwa Local Government Area and Bagama, Dikko junction axis in Suleja Local Government of Niger State.

“The seizures are estimated at over N40 million.  We shall continue to blaze the trail in anti-smuggling activities through  deployment of intelligence gathering and collaboration with other critical stakeholders for the actualisation of our statutory mandate.

“These deliberate and concerted efforts will guide us in contributing our quota towards realising remarkable results in line with the Vision and Mission of the Comptroller General of Customs and His Management Team”.