Customs Confiscate Goods Worth Over One Billion Naira In South-East

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has made another major breakthrough in its spirited efforts to bring the scourge of smuggling to the barest minimum in the zone.

According to the Area Controller in charge of the Zone, DC victor David Dimka, a total of two hundred (200) seizures with a Duty Paid Value of One billion, eight hundred and eighty-three million, five hundred and fifty-four thousand and nine hundred and seventeen naira (N1, 883,554,917.00) was made by the unit between the months of January to December 2013; with thirty – one (31) arrests and seventeen (17) cases in court.

This, he said was against the fifty-six (56) seizures with DPV of One billion, forty –seven million, nine hundred and thirty-one thousand, five hundred and twenty-seven naira (N1,047,931,527,00) recorded in the year 2012.

The Area Controller disclosed this, while giving a summary of the seizures (commodity by commodity) made in the zone last year.

Reiterating the preparedness and determination of his men to tackle the scourge of smuggling in the area, Dimka said that a formidable mechanism has been put in place to ensure that smugglers and those with the intent to indulge in the act are trapped and compelled to face the full weight of the law.

Giving a breakdown of the seizures made within the period under review; 2,801 bales of second hand clothing with duty paid value of N529, 512,000.00 was the highest seizure made, followed by 114 numbers of vehicles with DPV 355, 311, 800.00. and 609 bales of printed  wax(textile material) with DPV of 269, 840,000.00.

Others include: 18,594 cartons of imported frozen poultry products with DPV of N208,286,250.00; 3,619 cartons of vegetable oil with DPV of N97,780,000.00; 115,732 pairs of imported footwear  with DPV N155,916,800.00; 1,611 pieces of used tyres with DPV of N17,784,400.00, among others.

Dimka however enumerated the attitude of smugglers who keep on changing from one tactics to the other as the major challenges confronting his officers, but assured that the Nigeria Customs Service has all that it takes to neutralize such antics.

He added that operations vehicles belonging to the unit have been refurbished and repositioned to meet the challenges ahead in the New Year, while commending the Comptroller- General of Custom (CGC), Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko for his promise to provide the zone with brand new vehicles to smoothen her operations.

The Area Controller advised his men to dust their books so that the technicalities of the job will be on their finger tips even as he urged them to be trade facilitators.

He also commended the members of the public who had patriotically cooperated with officers of Nigeria Customs Service Zone ‘C’ in respect of supplying useful information on the activities of smugglers to sustain the spirit for the betterment of the nation and her citizenry.

IFY ONUIGBO

PRO FOU ZONE “C” OWERRI

08035405007