The Joint Border Patrol Team, South West Zone, Sector 2 of the Nigeria Customs Service, has announced the interception of a large cache of contraband items and the arrest of five suspects in the South-West Zone of Nigeria.
The team, in a briefing held in Ikeja, Lagos, detailed the seizure of 4,051 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 3,751 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, 425 cartons of frozen poultry products, and other prohibited goods.
The contraband also included 30 sacks, 85 blocks, and 125 wraps of cannabis sativa, 912 pieces of used tyres, seven used vehicles, 30 vehicles used as means of conveyance, one truck, and four bicycles. Additionally, the team intercepted 30 illegal immigrants and handed them over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and prosecution.
Leader of the Joint Patrol Team, Deputy Comptroller Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu, emphasized the team’s commitment to curbing smuggling and combating trans-border crimes, highlighting the negative impact of such activities on national security and the economy. He noted that these crimes facilitate the movement of illicit goods, deplete the nation’s revenue through duty and tax evasion, and undermine security efforts.
Shuaibu said: ““These crimes have multiple effects such as; undermining national security through the movements of illicit goods, such as drugs, weapons, and human trafficking, across the international borders, and impacts negatively on the economy by depleting the nation’s revenue base through duties and tax evasion.
“In our effort to actualize the mandate of combating smuggling and trans-border crimes, we intercepted some goods for violating various sections of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and the Federal Government’s Import and Export Guidelines worth a total duty paid value (DPV) of One Billion, One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Million, Six Hundred and Eighty-Four Thousand, Nine Hundred Naira (₦1,128,684,900).
“The wares were intercepted across the borders of the six states of the South-West Geo-political zone. Five (5) suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures” he explained.
The Joint Border Patrol Team leader also added that a total of 30 illegal immigrants were arrested by the team.
“With the Nigeria Immigration Service as a critical component of the Joint Border Patrol Team, we intercepted 30 illegal immigrants suspected to have violated immigration laws and were immediately handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and prosecution.
“The Sector also recovered a total of Eleven Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventeen Naira (₦11,593,217) Revenue through the issuance of Debit Notes (DN) on vehicles and other goods improperly imported into the country.
“My profound gratitude goes to the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, psc(+) and his management team for making these achievements possible by supporting us with the needed logistics” he said