Customs intercepts N229.6m smuggled goods concealed in charcoal bags

Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit, Zone B, has intercepted smuggled items concealed in charcoal bags, as well as fake drugs and narcotics.

The Comptroller, Albashir Hamisu, told newsmen on Thursday in Kaduna that 227 cartons of foreign spaghetti and couscous were concealed in charcoal bags by the smugglers in an attempt to evade arrest.

He added that the concealed items were among 117 seizures made by the command from June 30 to August 2022, with a Duty Paid Value of N229.6 million.

Hamisu listed other smuggled items seized within the period to include 724 bags of foreign parboiled rice,135 sacks of expired foreign milk powder, vegetable oil and 191 bales of second-hand clothing.

Other items include 30 bags of fertiliser, 23 sacks of used shoes,16 vehicles, 149 kegs of petrol, 31 cartons of unregistered pharmaceuticals and 90 parcels of Indian hemp.

The comptroller said some of the items were handed over to relevant regulatory authorities for further action.

He assured that the customs service will continue to perform its functions diligently, so as safeguard the country’s economy from the effects of smuggling activities.

Hamisu said that the command would continue to work with other agencies in the best interest of the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the pharmaceuticals and Indian hemp were handed over to NAFDAC and the NDLEA, respectively.

Ali Ado, an Assistant Commander of Narcotics, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kaduna State Command, who received the seized Indian hemp, commended the customs service for the continued partnership with the Agency.

On his part, Nasiru Mato, the State Coordinator, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) thanked the FOU Zone B for the landmark achievement.

He said that the fake drugs would have constituted serious danger to the health of consumers if they had found themselves in the market.

According to him, inter-agency synergy and collaboration have been yielding positive results. (NAN)