Determined to Combat smuggling to a standstill, the Federal Operations
Unit (F.O.U) Zone ‘C’ of Nigeria Customs Service has recorded an
unprecedented thirty-seven (37) seizures in the month of July within the
South East and South-South states of the federation with a Duty Paid Value
(DPV) of two hundred and fifty-two million, one hundred and twenty-six
thousand, eight hundred naira (N252,126,800.00)
The Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Dimka Victor David disclosed
while briefing the newsmen in Owerri that thirty-six (36) out of the
thirty-seven (37) seizures recorded, are vehicle ranging from Toyota
Highlander, Infinity jeep, Lexus jeep and cars, BMW, Toyota Avalon, Toyota
Corolla, and Toyota 4 Runner among others.
According to him, this is an indication of an increase in the number of
vehicles being smuggled in the zone within the period under review.
Dimka recalled that there was a similar increase of smuggling in rice
about five months ago but was effectively tackled and the smuggling
reduced to the barest minimum as well as that of imported frozen poultry
products done earlier in the year.
Additionally, Dimka said that the influx of imported furniture, second
hand clothing, foreign detergents and foot wears have equally been
frontally tackled and also the smuggling reduced to the barest minimum.
Being die-hard criminals who will always devise other means to ruin the
nation’s economy with their illicit business, Dimka stated that smugglers
are now into smuggling of vehicles, but assured that his men have all it
takes to neutralize their antics and also ensure that those apprehended do
not go scot free with the smuggled vehicles.
He further assured that the unit will neither fold her arms nor sit on her
oars and watch the smugglers sabotage the nation’s economy hence he
resolved that even the car dealers will subsequently be compelled to
present the vehicle clearing documents in their shops.
Dimka expressed immense gratitude to the Comptroller-general of Customs
Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, CFR for his sustained support to the unit,
stressing that this has continued to spur officers and men of the unit to
greater height in the performance of their statutory duties of fighting
smuggling.
He therefore passionately implored members of the public with useful
information bordering on smuggling to volunteer such information to the
unit to enable them fish out smugglers from their various places of
hibernation within the zone.