By Tina George, Minna
The Niger/Kogi Customs Command has disclosed that 3,529 50kg imported bags of rice with duty paid value of N62,159,700 was seized within the third quarter of 2019.
The Niger/Kogi Customs Area Controller, Yusuf Abba-Kassim who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Minna said that 29 used vehicles with duty paid value of N32,333,500 and 1,018 bales of second-hand clothing worth N48,912,000 were also seized during the period.
He also said that the Command had unveiled new strategies devised by smugglers to smuggle in rice and other countrabanded goods into the country as it intercepted a diesel tanker concealing imported foreign rice which is yet to be examined.
He lamented that smugglers have started using tankers that are supposed to be used to carry petroleum products to conceal and convey banned goods into the country.
Briefing newsmen in Minna, Kassim disclosed that the Command intercepted a DAF diesel tanker conveying imported rice concealed in its body at Dikko junction along Kaduna-Abuja road.
“We intercepted a DAF diesel tanker of six tyres with registration number RBC-05 ZS which is suppose to be a diesel tanker but it is carrying rice. Officers of the Custom Command intercepted this tanker along Kaduna-Abuja express road at Dikko Junction which is the end of Niger road.
“Bags of rice was found concealed inside the tanker. Our men had to use the new anti-smuggling strategies to unveil this strategy employed by these smugglers.”
Kassim further said that two people were arrested along with the driver adding that investigations are ongoing to know where they are coming from and where they are heading to and the number of bags of rice inside.
The Controller then reiterated the resolve of the Customs to beat all the concealment patterns of the smugglers with its superior intelligence network.
“The arrest of a diesel tanker meant for convening diesel now used in concealing smuggled imported foreign rice should send a serious signal to these recalcitrant saboteurs of the Nigerian economy that there is no more hiding place for them.”
