CUSTOMS: FOU Zone B Intercepts Trailer Load Of Foreign Expired Juice, Milk In Zamfara

... Records Seizures Worth 1.975 Billion In Six Weeks

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’ Kaduna, , has intercepted a trailer laden with foreign expired juice and milk in Zamfara State.

Controller, FOU, Zone B in Kaduna, Comptroller Dalha Wada Chedi who disclosed this in a statement on Friday,16 February 2024 , noted that operatives of the Unit while acting on credible intelligence along Tsafe-Funtua Road in Zamfara State intercepted the truck on the suspicion of improper importation.

This, he said occurred on the 11 February 2024 at about 2200hrs, while adding that further examination revealed that the truck was conveying 75 cartons of expired foreign jolly juice powder and 8 sacks of foreign milk powder that were found to have expired since 2019 .

According to him, the seized items are unfit for human consumption noting that the expired milk was concealed with sacks of dried hides & skin.

The Customs Chief lamented that the seized, expired, unused and contaminated items if not intercepted by operatives of the service would cause havoc to the society in general.

Comptroller Chedi also disclosed that on Wednesday, 24 January 2024 at about 2200hrs, operatives of the unit intercepted a truck conveying 179 bags of dates and tiger nuts (50Kg each) based on intelligence along Maigatari/Malamfatori/Birniwa axis of Jigawa State.

He maintained that “It is important to mention that the foreign dates and the tiger-nuts by their nature are edible and perishable goods would be auctioned in line with the provisions of Paragraph 15 (b) of the Schedule of the Nigeria Customs Service Act No. 35, 2023.”

Similarly, the Customs top brass affirmed that
on the 3rd February 2024, the operatives of the Unit arrested three trucks along Gumel-Kano road in Jigawa State, pointing out that the arrest was made following information shared by the intelligence network of the NCS-Headquarters, Abuja on the suspicion that they were conveying prohibited items.

He stated that 100% physically examination was conducted at the premises of Kano/Jigawa Command and the three trucks were found to contained 5076 Cartons of foreign soap, 703 bales of foreign second-hand clothing, 925 cartons of macaroni, 320 bales of foreign textiles and 12 Jumbo sacks of foreign used shoes.

Comptroller Chedi added that two suspects were arrested and detained at the Kano/Jigawa Command in connection with the seizures and they have been granted administrative bail pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

Comptroller Chedi further explained that operatives of the Unit made a total of 27 different seizures ranging from used foreign shoes, foreign parboiled rice, second hand clothing, expired milk and juice powder, among others between January 1 to February 16 2024.

He added that the total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures made within the period under review is One Billion, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Five Million, Six Hundred and Six Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Five Naira and Ninety-Six Kobo(#1, 975,657,865.96) only..

 

“Other items seized within this period are: 237 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50Kg each), 1837 cartons of foreign spaghetti, macaroni and couscous, 1707 jerry-cans of premium Motor Spirits (PMS) 25litres each, 3459 cartons/sachets of Amoxicillin, Artesunate, 500 Mg, 35 cartons of flame lighters, 2089 cartons of foreign dates, 142 cartons of YES Cigarettes, 810 pieces of foreign used tyres, many vehicles deposited at various Customs formations in the Zone, among others, “he stated.

Continuing, the Customs boss reiterated that”These unprecedented seizures were made as a result of contravention of several sections of NCS Act 2023 and breach of extant Presidential directives on border closure.

“It is a fact that things are difficult for common men in this country, despite this; smugglers are adding to the suffering of the citizens by smuggling these expired and unhealthy items that are injurious to health and wellbeing of the people.

“The Unit is an enforcement arm of the Service that will continue to arrest situations that may harm the citizens of this Country. I want the general public to know that the personnel of the NCS are Nigerians too and we share in their pains at this critical time. However, the operatives of the Unit will not relent until smugglers are out of business.

“We will not be tired in our twenty-four hours and seven days round the clock enforcement drive to suppress smuggling.

“In addition, I enjoin the general public to be on our side in fighting the menace of smuggling which undermines government goal for revenue generation and aims at compromising the health of unsuspecting Nigerians. This is a fight that we all must give priority to for the president to succeed and deliver on the renewed hope agenda to Nigerians. “Comptroller Chedi noted .