Customs impound expired bags of rice in Lagos

*Cannabis valued over N72 million seized

the Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ has

The controller in charge of the Zone, Comptroller Mohammed Uba who made the disclosure during a press briefing at the headquarters in Ikeja lamented the rate with which foreign parboiled rice infiltrate the country thereby hindering the growth of local rice production.

Comptroller Uba also revealed that another 1,237 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice were also seized by the customs through the intensified efforts of the agency.

“We need to encourage the farmers in the local production of rice. It is needful so that majority of Nigerians can get employed and also get a sustainable means of livelihood. Some of the bags of rice are expired. We must all work together to ensure that we get rid of this act which is doing no good to our economy.

Speaking on the other seizures, the FOU boss said 27 assorted vehicles which include Toyota Prado Jeep, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Highlander, Mercedes Benz among others ranging from 2007 to 2013 with a Duty Paid Value of N228, 215, 429.1 only were also intercepted.

Two trucks carrying 1,104 cartons of medicament of different types seized by the customs were also handed over to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control verification and further investigation.

Receiving the seizures from the Comptroller, the representative of NAFDAC, Deputy Director Investigation & Enforcement Directorate, Francis Ononiwu noted that the customs have been playing a pivotal role in ensuring that fake and substandard products don’t get into the country.

He said, “Sometime last month we received similar consignment of pharmaceuticals. The ones handed over to us last month were destroyed last week. From this, you can see that we have been collaborating with customs. They are a very strong and powerful ally to NAFDAC in the fight against counterfeit products including pharmaceuticals. We will investigate and do due diligence to ascertain if the NAFDAC number is original. We would also find out if the owner of the product was the one who brought it in or it was a parallel importer that brought in the fake version of the products. After our investigations, appropriate sanction will be meted out to the culprit.”

Similarly, 147 sacks of 10kg and 20 parcels of 1kg of cannabis with a Duty Paid Value of N72, 960, 000 seized by men of the Nigerian Customs were also handed over to the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcent Agency (NDLEA).

On the handing over of the seizures to appropriate agencies, the Comptroller said, “We seek for their assistance since they are experts, they should do their investigations. If investigations are concluded and the importers are culpable, they will definitely be prosecuted.”

Principal Staff Officer, Lawal Opeloyeru who received the dry weeds suspected to be cannabis on behalf of the NAFDAC state commander thanked the comptroller and the customs in general for their tireless effort in collaborating with NDLEA to ensure that Lagos sState and Nigeria at large is rid of illicit drugs.

He said, “This seizure by our assessment has two consequences. First, we have succeeded in removing this quantity from circulation and hundreds and thousands of youths have been denied access to these drugs. Secondly, with this seizure, we have equally reduced crime in the society . it has been proven that the nexus between drug and crime cannot be overemphasized. Any crime committed has one form of drug inducement or the other. I also appeal to members of the public and the press because we cannot do it alone. We size quantities like this almost on a monthly basis from area commands and state commands yet drug abuse still continue. The reason been that the only particle that has proven wrong that law of demand and supply which states that the higher the price, the lower the quantity demanded is drug. No matter how high the price is, addicted persons will go all out to get.

The comptroller warned that the men from the unit will not relent in ensuring that the Federal Government’s polices banning the importation of rice and vehicles through the land borders.

In his warning, he said, “ As we enter ‘ember’ month this weekend, when economic activities strives to boom let me use this opportunity to send this warning message to smugglers within the south west zone to desist from such illegal trade as we are well equipped with all necessary arsenal to cripple smugglers and send them out of their illegitimate business.”