Customs impounds 3000 bags of smuggled Rice

Operatives of the Comptroller General of Customs Strike Force on smuggling of foreign parboiled rice have intercepted five trailers load of rice from the Ijebu Ode in Ogun State.

It was gathered that the smuggled rice numbering about 3000 bags of 50kg has a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N42 million.

The Zonal commander of the strike force, Zone A, Assistant Controller of Customs, Salisu Assababullah who made the disclosure said the parboiled foreign rice were concealed inside containers and trucks belonging to corporate organisations (name withheld).

This interception is coming barely a week after the minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe hinted about the planned closure of the land borders due to massive smuggling of rice into the country.

However, the strike force was able to make the seizure through Intelligence gathered on the new tactics of smuggler to bring foreign rice into the country.

Assababullah said, “The CGC task force intercepted 3000 bags of 50kg rice smuggled into the country. They were intercepted along Ijebu Ode expressway with two suspects in custody.”

“We were able to get intelligence report that container laden trucks were taken to the border area, load it with smuggled rice and put seal as if it were a container released from seaports.”

The CGC Strike Force further attributed the success recorded to team effort and also acknowledged the federal government approval of brand new pickup for anti-smuggling which he said aided in the recent interception.

“After the FG’s approval of anti – smuggling vehicles the zonal strike force was given nine vehicles and we have been able to make these large seizures.”

Recall that on June 7th, 2016, the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari approved over N1 billion for the procurement of 68 brand new Ford Pickup operational vehicles for Customs.

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun alongside the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning and the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu had told journalists at the state house that the operational vehicles currently available for the Nigeria Customs service are grossly inadequate for effective anti-smuggling activities.

The Assistant Comptroller however advised smugglers to engage in legitimate business as the ad-hoc body knows their antics and they will be caught.