Customs impounds tanker laden with smuggled rice

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Kano has intercepted over 500 bags of foreign rice loaded in a fuel tanker.Addressing newsmen in Kano, yesterday, the Comptroller in charge of Kano/Jigawa Command, Ahmed Nasiru, told journalists that the fuel tanker, with registration number NSR 95 ZC, was conveying the contraband items along Daura road inward Kano when men of the Command intercepted the culprits.

Ahmed explained that the smugglers tactically packaged the items from a neighbouring country and neatly concealed them in two compartment out of the three compartment of the tanker, adding that smugglers have adopted new tricks to beat Customs checkpoints and smuggle banned products into the country and were prepared to go extra miles, despite the health and security hazards.

According to him: “Rice seizures is what we do everyday. There is something in what we are witnessing today where smugglers now resort to using fuel or diesel tankers to smuggle items such as rice.

“Now, we are talking about health hazards of these foreign rice concealed inside compartments made for the storage of fuel and diesel. You would agree with me that such items might no longer be safe because it is already poisonous for human consumption.

“Again, since these smugglers can use fuel tankers to smuggle rice, they can also use the same mode to smuggle dangerous items, such as arms and ammunition, guns, tramadol and other illicit drugs. We need to be watchful.“We need to join hands as good citizens to fight and discourage the activities of smugglers, because they are not only are they enemies of our nation’s economy, they are also enemies of Nigerians by brining in items that are not good for our health.”Although the driver and motor boy of the tanker escaped arrest after abandoning the vehicle, the controller said some persons have already been arrested in connection with the items.