Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun state, on Tuesday 4th April 2017, seized a refrigerated Iveco truck conveying contraband goods into the Country.

Politics Nigeria learnt that the items discovered in the intercepted truck were; seven hundred and twenty two (722) cartons of imported frozen fish comprising of soley fish, senrei fish of which they fall under water pelagic fishes (open-sea fishes), fifty-six (56) bags of imported rice of 50kg.

The goods, in summary, have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Ten Million Five Hundred and Seventy-Three Thousand Naira (N10, 573, 000.00).

Briefing the press on the success of the interception, the Area Controller, Comptroller Gangua said, it is pertinent to note that frozen fish has recently come under regulated product in Nigeria with vivid guidelines which every fish importer must fulfil before he or she can embark on an importation of such.

“For the avoidance of doubt, apart from fulfilling all import guidelines, there must be a fishing license/permit from Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development by importing company and such importation must be subjected to National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) inspection/certification among others.

Pursuant to the Federal Government Policy on fish importation, the Nigeria Customs Service is working assiduously at ensuring that our dear country is not turning into a dumping ground for not only fish but other restricted items.

On contravention of the aforementioned rules and guidelines as contained in the government policies and extant circulars, the goods have been seized and the frozen fish will be destroyed accordingly.

I will like to seize this opportunity to reiterate my appeal to the traditional rulers and eminent personalities in the state to deploy all necessary mechanism in discouraging the activities of their wards that indulge in smuggling. We believe that patriotism entails sacrifice and devoted service to our beloved nation”.

A suspect by name Mr Seseh Idowu a native of Benin Republic has been apprehended in connection with the seizure and he is helping the Command with some useful information.

Politicsngr