While people are celebrating the Christmas season, the smugglers in Zone<\/p>\n
\u2018C\u2019 are counting their losses as Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal<\/p>\n
Operations Unit (FOU), Zone \u2018C\u2019, Owerri intercepted a mercedez truck<\/p>\n
loaded with one thousand, three hundred (1,300) cartons of imported frozen<\/p>\n
poultry products, concealed with Polymers Vinyl Chloride (PVC) sheets and<\/p>\n
ceramic bath tubs with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Twelve million, four<\/p>\n
hundred thousand naira (N12,400,000.00) on Benin-Ore express way two days<\/p>\n
before the Christmas day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Customs Area Controller of the unit \u2013Comptroller Dimka Victor David<\/p>\n
fsi, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the seizures made, during<\/p>\n
which he revealed that a total of thirty-one (31) seizures which include<\/p>\n
twenty-one (21) vehicles have been recorded between 1st December to date<\/p>\n
with DPV of One hundred and eighteen million, one hundred and ninety<\/p>\n
thousand, two hundred and seventeen naira (#118,190,217.00), with<\/p>\n
twenty-three (23) arrests made and twenty-two (22) cases pending in<\/p>\n
different courts within the Zone \u2018C\u2019 axis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dimka who decried the incalculable harm being inflicted on the nation\u2019s<\/p>\n
economy as a result of unabated smuggling of prohibited products into the<\/p>\n
country, warned those still engrossed in the act to desist forthwith or<\/p>\n
have themselves to blame if arrested. \u201cWe will continue to make this Zone<\/p>\n
very very hot and uncomfortable for smugglers to remain in business and we<\/p>\n
are not mincing words about this\u201d.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
According to him, one suspect was arrested in connection with the<\/p>\n
smuggling of the imported frozen poultry product and is now undergoing<\/p>\n
interrogation for further prosecution in court. He stressed that the NCS<\/p>\n
is trying to ensure that it does not give any chance to smugglers until<\/p>\n
they are brought to their knees, warning \u201ca word is enough for the wise.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The destruction of the seized imported frozen poultry products was carried<\/p>\n
out immediately in the premises of Customs House Benin, which was<\/p>\n
witnessed by the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp,<\/p>\n
Department of State Security, NAFDAC, and the press.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dimka expressed delight at the desirable and cordial synergy between the<\/p>\n
NCS and other sister agencies such as the Nigeria Police, State Security<\/p>\n
Service (SSS), Nigerian Army, National Drugs Law and Enforcement Agency<\/p>\n
(NDLEA) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the fight against<\/p>\n
smuggling and expressed optimism that this would continue to grow from<\/p>\n
strength to strength.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Area Controller affirmed that the determination of Nigeria Customs<\/p>\n
Service to reposition itself for greater challenges is unstoppable, just<\/p>\n
as the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.), has<\/p>\n
repeatedly warned smugglers operating in the country to change business or<\/p>\n
face the wrath of the law.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The CGC gave this warning when he visited the zone recently, \u201cSmuggling is<\/p>\n
one of the dangerous activities which affect the nation\u2019s economy, so,<\/p>\n
smugglers should change business because it is an illegal business,\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cMany people are of the belief that smuggling is a legal source of<\/p>\n
livelihood, but it is not; it\u2019s an illegal business,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dimka made it clear that all suspects arrested in connection with<\/p>\n
smuggling activities who are on bail, are still not free until the<\/p>\n
determination of their cases in court; and those found to have contravened<\/p>\n
the law would be jailed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While people are celebrating the Christmas season, the smugglers in Zone \u2018C\u2019 are counting their losses as Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone \u2018C\u2019, Owerri intercepted a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n