...Records N13m Seizures In Two Weeks
Barely two weeks of resumption as the new Custom Area Controller of Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters has recorded seizures of contrabands with Duty Paid Value (DPV) worth N13 million.
The seized items, which include 466 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice, 272 cartons of poultry products and some materials were intercepted at Bera creek in Adodo, Ogun state, Badagry water ways and Yekeme water ways.
Addressing newsmen at the command, Comptroller Peters warned that illicit traders should try and engage in legitimate business in order to enhance economic growth.
” The fight against smuggling activities in the command under the leadership of the new customs Area Controller , the pragmatic leader will take a more ferocious momentum that will lead to massive seizures and enforcement of extant rules if the smugglers continue to dare” , he said.
He also said the operation Ex-Swift otherwise called Border Drill, is on and that all unrepentant smugglers should not dare the waters because himself and his officers and men have resolved not to rest on their oars.“We want to make it clear to these Economic saboteurs and their accomplices that Customs will continue to hit hard on smugglers”, adding that items found to be contraband will be seized and offenders prosecuted.
On the issue of the command’s craft that was abandoned, the Comptroller said that the headquarters and management are seriously working on that to acquire another new ones for the command in order to speed up on their performance.
He assured that the command is battle ready to face the dare devil smugglers, even as he appealed to the general public to embrace legitimate means of livelihood and to avoid smuggling of hazardous items that are practically inimical to attaining the vision of having a healthy and economically viable society.
