Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted 1,393 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice, 187 jerrycans/66 drums of foreign vegetable oil, 625 cartons of poultry products and 50 jerrycans of foreign vegetable oil, some of which were concealed inside gas cylinders.

According to a statement signed on Tuesday by the unit spokesman, Jerry Attah, the goods were seized along unapproved routes within Ogun State between 5th -17th February 2020 based on surveillance and routine patrol.

The statement which quoted the Acting Controller of the FOU, Zone A of the NCS, Usman Yahaya stated that the rice, vegetable oil and poultry products were conveyed in 12 different motor vehicles with a cumulative duty paid value of N40,144,250.00.

“This desperate act by these daredevil smugglers concealing edible items in gas cylinders further justifies the efforts put in by men of the NCS to nip in the bud this dastardly acts,” Usman Yahaya stated.

The FOU Zone A Acting Comptroller Usman Yahaya warned that unless the economic saboteurs repent from their unscrupulous activities, they will continue to count their losses. He also advised legitimate traders to be compliant in their declarations as the unit is ever ready to facilitate their trade in line with world best practices.

While thanking the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management Team of the Nigeria Customs Service for providing necessary logistics and motivation that led to this feat, Ag. Comptroller Usman Yahaya called on all meaningful Nigerians to support the Service in its fight against smuggling activities by providing intelligence that could assist the unit to achieve more monumental seizures.