The Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘C’ said it confiscated contraband with duty paid value of N153 million within the month.
The Area Controller of the Zone, Comptroller Ahmed Azarema, said this while conducting newsmen round the seized items at its Abia/Imo Command office in Owerri on Thursday.
He noted that the contraband which were concealed with other non-contraband were seized along the Aba/Eleme axis.
He identified the goods as 335 bags of rice with a dpv of N14.5 million, 300 cartons of footwears valued at N36 million and 1,090 pieces of 25 litre kegs of vegetable oil worth N10.6 million.
Others, he said, were 309 bales of used clothes with dpv of N56.28million, 200 cartons of water hose valued at N2.40 million, 800 empty creates of Legend stout worth N192 million and a Dangote Truck with dpv of N10.8 million.
Azarema expressed dismay at the activities of smugglers despite the huge seizures by the Customs.
He said the service was more determined to curb the activities of smugglers despite their antics to help the local industries in the country and boost the nation’s economy.
He urged members of the public, especially the media, to support the Customs by giving useful information about smugglers and disseminating information on the consequences of their activities.
He said: “Crime fighting may not be totally eradicated because people want quick money. We need to fight the activities of smugglers of contraband to protect our local industries.”
Azarema noted that an arrest was made in connection with the seized items, and that the suspect was undergoing interrogation.
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