Customs FOU Zone B seizes N305.7m smuggled goods in one month

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone B Command, Kaduna, said it made a total of 130 seizures of different smuggled items at various locations in the zone with duty paid value of N305.7 million from January 1 to February 28, 2023.

The FOU Zone B comprises 10 states within the Northwest and North Central geopolitical zones with Kaduna as its administrative headquarters, while the unit’s anti smuggling activities stretches around Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kogi, Kwara and Niger states.

The items seized include, 635 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (25 litres each), 90 bales of foreign secondhand clothing, 569 packs of foreign unregistered pharmaceutical products, 119 packs of unregistered tramadol, and tramaking 225mg, 17 sacks foreign secondhand shoes, seven cartons of foreign cigarettes, 147 pieces of foreign jack knives and 50 cartons of foreign soap.

Others are, nine units of used vehicles, two units of means of conveyance, 724 bags of foreign rice (50kg each), six cartons of foreign machetes, 163 jerrycans vegetable oil (25 litres each), and 646 cartons of foreign spaghetti and macaroni.

The Controller of the unit, Musa Ibrahim Jalo, while giving the unit’s scorecard through the Public Relations Officer, Isah Sulaiman, said the seized items were contravened the Federal Government policies regarding imports and exports and were deposited at various Customs Formations in the Zone.

He said in line with the extant laws and guidelines, the seized Premium Motor Spirit was auctioned as directed by the NCS Headquarters, adding that the proceeds were remitted to the coffers of the Federal Government.

Jalo said operatives of the unit stepped up the fight against smuggling across the border areas to make more arrests and cause financial loss to the smugglers.

The controller reiterated the commitment of the operatives of the unit to their renewed efforts in the fight against smugglers.

He called on the communities around the border areas to provide useful information that will assist the unit in achieving its mandate.

He also urged that communities to consider operatives of the service as implementers of the Federal Government fiscal policies that are meant to improve and protect industries thereby creating employment and boosting the economy of the country.