The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ (FOU ‘A’), Ikeja-Lagos, has intercepted 220 consignments of prohibited and smuggled goods with a combined Duty Paid Value of N3.24 billion and recovered N728.98 million in lost revenue.
The seizures, recorded during intelligence-led operations, included 4,956 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 12 foreign-used vehicles, 2,683 parcels of synthetic cannabis weighing 1,439.9kg, 240,000 tablets of Tramadol and 12,000 tablets of Hypnox.
The unit also intercepted 24,100 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 686 cartons of foreign poultry products, 414 bales of used clothing, 2,947 used tyres, foreign vegetable oil, 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg and other prohibited items.
Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, head of FOU ‘A’, who made the disclosure on Monday said the N728.98 million revenue recovery demonstrated the unit’s efforts to tackle leakages arising from under-declaration, false declarations and other customs fraud.
He urged importers, exporters and licensed customs agents to make accurate declarations and comply with customs regulations, warning that the unit would sustain its crackdown on smuggling and revenue evasion.
Aliyu said the interception of restricted food products and other imports would help protect local industries, support food security and safeguard legitimate government revenue.
He added that the seizure of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical products would help protect public health, while the recovery of elephant tusks supported efforts to combat illegal wildlife trafficking.
According to him, improved intelligence gathering, risk profiling and collaboration with sister agencies were central to the unit’s recent enforcement successes.