By Ahmed Ajikobi
The North Central Joint Border Operations Drill(JBOD), Sector 3 Zone of Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara State Command has made seizure of goods worth N107.7m.
This was disclosed by the JBOD Coordinator of Kwara State, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters on Wednesday during a press conference.
He said the seizure of about 48 items including bags of unprocessed rice were made within 24 days.
According the items confiscated included 34,125 litres of PMS,1,677 bags of banned foreign rice and another 961 bags of foreign rice concealed in local rice bags.
Others are 21 bale’s of secondhand clothing, 7 new tricycles, 25 cartons of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks,12 used vehicles, 45 motorcycles and tricycles spare parts.
He added that the Customs operatives also seized a tanker laden with 33, 000 litres of petroleum and 45 kegs of 25 litres of PMS.
According to him, “Smugglers have now unveiled new means of not just smuggling only foreign parboiled rice of 50kg, but unmilled rice (paddy rice) in 100kg just to deceive officers.
“One of the major highlights of today’s press briefing is the seizure of five trucks containing 1,677 bags of 100kg each of unprocessed rice around Chikanda/Okuta axis of the Sector worth N18.4m.
“This report is an indication of a strong message to those who are not willing to embrace legitimate business. The operatives of Sector 3 will continue to exercise their statutory responsibilities in the interest of overall socioeconomic prosperity of the country.
“The Sector 3 operatives’ zeal and determination to implement the partial closure of our nation’s land borders as directed by Mr. President remains unwavering and we will continue to make the Zone unfavorable to smugglers.
“The Yuletide is around the corner, and we want to admonish the smugglers who want to take advantage of the season to smuggle illicit controlled and prohibited goods or engage in human trafficking to think twice, as there will be no hiding place for them due to the new patrol strategies explored by the Sector.
“It is obvious that diehard smugglers are ready to do anything to carry out their nefarious activities: they now use scrap vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles, bicycles to smuggle goods and even they go as far as exhibiting their talents by using bags of local rice to conceal foreign parboiled rice with the intention to deceive our operatives.” he explained.
