The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has seized 59y9 bales of second-hand clothes, seven sacks of second-hand women’s bags, 43 cartons of cigarettes and other contraband in Sokoto.
The Acting Area Comptroller, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, Mr Halliru Isa-Abdullahi, told journalists on Thursday that the items worth N722 million in Duty Paid Value (DPV).
Isa-Abdullahi listed other items confiscated to include seven cartons of coffee, unregistered pharmaceutical products, 100 packages of quinine and 500 packages of amodiaquine drugs.
According to him, others are 140 packages of paracetamol, 300 packages of anty-cold, a carton of analgesic injections, four cartons of dynewell syrup and tablets, along with one carton of clear cold.
Isa-Abdullahi added that the effort was in line with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Bashir Adeniyi’s directive, which emphasised consolidation, collaboration and innovation in anti-smuggling operations to secure the borders and protect the nation’s economy.
He said the suspects abandoned the vehicle when they discovered that operatives were trailing them, adding that some repairs were conducted on the truck before conveying it to Sokoto.
The acting area comptroller explained that the command’s concerted efforts in suppression of smuggling activities had continued to yield good results in spite of insecurity in some parts of the states.
‘Operatives of the command ensured blocking and suppression of smuggling, which have successfully led to the seizure of a used DAF truck as a means of conveyance of the contraband items into the country,’ Isa-Abdullahi said.
The acting comptroller urged Nigerians to support the NCS with robust information that could aid in eradicating the menace of smuggling in Nigeria.
He noted that eradicating smuggling would stop people from consuming unregistered drugs that cause grave danger to the health of citizens.
Isa-Abdullahi noted that eradicating smuggling would also boost the economy to enable the Federal Government to provide social amenities to the citizenry.
He further warned smugglers and their collaborators to desist from the nefarious act, stressing that no matter their antics, operatives would continue to be a step ahead of them.