Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Services in Ogun State have seized prohibited items with a Duty Paid Value of N44.199million from suspected smugglers.
The NCS Comptroller for the Ogun State Command, Mr. Sani Madugu, disclosed this in Abeokuta, the state capital, while speaking on the activities of the command during an inspection of some smuggled items seized by Customs operatives.
Magudu said that about nine fairly used vehicles, one mini bus, 50 bags of rice as well as bales of second hand clothes were intercepted by men of the command.
He listed the other seized items to include a Toyota Highlander 2013, with the DPV of N12,150,000; a Lexus ES 350 Saloon car 2007 model with DPV of N8,100,000; a Passat Station Wagon 1997 model with DPV of N1,282,500; and a Suzuki mini bus with DPV of N810,000.
Others are Ford Focus Station Wagon 2000 model with DPV of N1,215,000; Toyota Camry 2012 model with DPV of N5,400,000; Toyota Corolla 2011 with DPV of N4,050,000; Toyota Camry 2009 model with DPV of N3,375,000; and a Scania Container Truck.
The Customs boss said that the smugglers were smart to have kept about 50 bags of rice in the cabin of a vehicle and covered them with assorted items so as to beat the unsuspecting Customs officers.
The comptroller noted that the truck in which the prohibited goods were hidden, was intercepted along the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway.
“In comparison, the Duty Paid Value of September was just over N87.168million, while in October, we have got N377,255,818 million Duty Paid Value on the total seizure that we have done; this is more than triple performance we have done in September,” he added.
