Customs Strike Force rattles smugglers :

Customs Strike Force rattles smugglers :
…Seizes petrol, pangolin scales, foreign rice, Cannabis Sativa worth N8.5bn

…Rakes in N5.3bn revenue

Operatives of Customs Strike Force Team in Zone ‘A’, have rattled the daredevil smugglers sabotaging the nation’s economy, seizing contraband goods worth over N8.5billion, since the current Coordinator, DC Mohammed Sani Yusuf, came on board few months ago.

Between October and November 2022, just two months ago, DC Yusuf and his Men again demonstrated superior intelligence over economic saboteurs, as they tenaciously seized smuggled items worth over N1billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV).

The seizures displayed by DC Yusuf and his team before Journalists during press conference, yesterday, included 1010 bags of foreign rice (50kg each); 376.4kg of pangolin scales; 100 cartons of red wine; 40 kg of cannabis sativa; 58 bales of used clothes and 35 unit/25 litres jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

More so, in their efforts to prevent revenue losses through undervaluation, underpayments and wrong classification, the Team collected N537.9million revenue for Federal Government from issuance of demand notices to defaulting importers.

Speaking during the press briefing, DC Yusuf revealed that a whopping sum of N5,254,784,650 (approximately N5.3billion) revenue has been generated.

His assertion :  “It will would interest you to know that since our resumption till date, we have cumulatively generated N5,254,784,650.  We also made seizures with a total DPV of N8,500,903,673.00 billion”.

The Team also arrested 70 years old man and his Son in connection with the seizure of 376.4kg of pangolin scales, at Epe market in Lagos, using intelligence.

DC Yusuf disclosed; “Two suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures during the period under review. Both of them were released on administrative bail. As we continually seize smuggled items and arrest suspects, it is our hope that these seizures, revenue recoveries and arrest would serve as deterrent to smugglers, as well as duty evaders”.

The Strike Force Coordinator, emphasised that his Men are strategically positioned in their area of responsibility; and they are on top of their game to ensure that economic saboteurs are not allowed to smile home, while government suffers losses. “Our strategies are reviewed to defeat smugglers game of concealment, false declaration and underpayment during the yuletide period” he stressed.

His words;  “In our quest to safeguard our country from selfish activities of economic saboteurs, collect revenue for government and to provide security, we have remained resolute and undeterred at enforcing government’s policies and Customs extant laws.

“In tandem with support provided by management of the Service under the leadership of CGC Hameed Ibrahim Ali, CFR, our operational strategies are strengthened to outsmart smugglers in all ramifications.

“Seized items displayed here reflect our officers’ commitment to duty and none- compromise posture in the discharge of our statutory responsibilities, aimed at protecting the national economy and preventing importation of prohibited and harmful goods into our economic environment ”

Responding to questions on seizure of pangolin scales, he explained; “A ban was imposed on international trade on pangolins and their parts in 2016 convention, held in Flora South Africa, which is still in force.

“Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), some species of animals are conserved from going into extinction, hence, pangolin among other animals have been subject to exploitation, which continued till date.  Little is known about their natural history and status that must be conserved.

“Campaigns on poaching of pangolins must be intensified since it plays a dominant role on the ecosystem”.