Nigeria Customs Service, Zone C Federal Operations Unit, Owerri, intercepted N2.8 billion worth of contraband between 25th January and 25th March. Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Mr Kayode Kolade -the Acting Comptroller of the NCS in the zone, made the declaration while addressing journalists in Owerri on Wednesday.
He explained that the value of the goods intercepted was 2.7 billion Naira. However, the rest of the 61.4 million Naira was for demand notices filed for violations.
While the unit also arrested 13 suspected smugglers during the period. He listed the items seized, including 5 bags of pangolin scales and 398 bags of Indian hemp weighing 8,756 kg. It also includes his 2,308 compressed packages of Indian hemp weighing 1 kg each.
Pangolin scales are used in the manufacturing of finger and toenails, reported NAN.
Other seized items included 26 boxes of 2,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, 3 bulletproof vehicles, 931 jumbo bales of used clothing, and 484 sacks of contraband rice.
Also seized were his 31 boxes containing various drugs, including tramadol. 32 canisters of gasoline and 540 old tires.
The Acting-Controller noted that-
“after reviewing and re-jigging our operational modalities, the unit intercepted contrabands with a duty paid value of N2.8 billion between January 25 and March 25.
“Remarkably, the five sacks of pangolin scales weighing 413.1kg and the 11,064kg of Indian hemp are the highest, if not arguably the first seizure of such endangered species and hard drugs in the history of the zone.
“Effort towards combating illicit trade in endangered species is to ensure that such animals don’t go into extinction.
“Nigeria, a signatory to the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species categorises the scales under absolute prohibition making its importation or trade illegal,’’ Kolade said.
He added that the Pangolin scales were intercepted on the Benin-Lagos Expressway. The Indian hemp on the other hand was recovered on Ewu-Auchi Road and on the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway.
“The container conveying the 518 bales of used clothes was intercepted on the Benin-Okada Road.
“The second container conveying the 392 jumbo bales of used clothing was intercepted on Umuikaa-Aba Road.
“The consignments were mostly concealed in heavy-duty trucks, and buses.
“The cartons of cough syrup with codeine, and cartons of unregistered medicaments including tramadol were all intercepted on the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway.
“The bags of rice were intercepted on Benin-Okada Expressway, while the used tyres were intercepted on the Ihiala-Onitsha Road and Cross River Waterside, respectively,’’ he said.
Kolade added that the three armoured vehicles without customs documents and End User Certificates were intercepted on the Patani-Bayelsa-Port Harcourt Expressway.
cc: Punch Ng
