Customs impound over 2,000 smuggled frozen poultry products

The Headquarters Compliance team, Ogun state arm of the Nigeria Customs have impounded 2,438 smuggled frozen poultry products valued at N13,165,200.00 in a single operation within the area.

The revelation was made by the leader of the Nigeria Customs Headquarters Compliance team Ogun State, Assistant Comptroller Shittu Abdulmaruf recently.

While commenting on the seizures, the Assistant Comptroller stated that despite several warnings from the Nigerian customs to smugglers to have a rethink on their illicit activities, they are still adamant as they have continued to engage in excesses in their bid to circumvent the trade policies of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

On how the seizures were made, the team leader in a brief chat with the press disclosed that one of his patrol teams intercepted a long trailer with registration number AGL 53 XF suspected to be carrying frozen poultry products along the busy Ijebu-Ode Sagamu Expressway.

He noted that the operatives out of curiosity, insisted on conducting physical examination on the truck and the examination revealed that the truck was loaded with 2,438 cartons of smuggled frozen poultry products, concealed with 22 pallets of Maltina drinks. He gave the value of the frozen poultry products alone as N13,165,200.00.

Similarly, the team leader also confirmed that his team in less than twenty hours thereafter intercepted an eight tyres truck laden with imported shoes and canvas along the tollgate end of Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway. The truck according to the team leader has been deposited at the Customs house Ibadan where 100% examination will be conducted to ascertain the quantity and status of the consignment.

In his reaction to the modalities the customs has adoted to suppress smuggling, the team leader reiterated the determination of his team to continually wreck havoc on smugglers. In his words, “Efforts are being made to strengthen and improve on our operational strategies in line with the change ideology of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Speaking further, he said. “My team in collaboration with the other anti-smuggling units has the capacity and capability to degrade smugglers. We are not unmindful of their desperation to smuggle, in terms of going the extra miles, using any available strategy. The good news is that we are always several steps ahead of them.

“The task of policing the entire area under our coverage is a responsibility that we cannot afford to abdicate. We are not oblivious of the expectation of the Nigeria Custom Service Management, in terms of optimal performance, hence our desire to make them proud. The Nigeria Custom Service has risen up to this challenge and will not rest on its oars until we suppress smuggling to barest minimum”.

Abdulmaruf solicited the support of Nigerians in this fight and promised that identity of informants would be jealously guarded, so as not to endanger their lives.

He commended the Comptroller General of Customs Retired Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali and his Management team for their logistic support, which has given them the needed impetus to excel.