The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone “B” Command, Kaduna, said it made a seizure of 54,000 sachets of tramadol, donkey bones and other smuggled goods at various locations in the zone worth over N3.1billion between April 17 to May 17, 2024.
The Customs FOU Zone B, comprises Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Comptroller of the FOU, Zone ‘B’, Ahmadu Bello-Shuaibu, who disclosed this on Tuesday in Kaduna, added that four suspects were apprehended in connection with smuggled donkey bones and meat.
He listed the seized items to include 12 vehicles (means of conveyance) 174 bags of foreign rice (50 kg each), 234 jerry cans of PMS (25 litres each), 109 bales of second-hand clothing, 367 cartons of Spaghetti, 50 cartons of Macaroni, 47 jerry cans of foreign vegetable oil.
Others include 6 sacks of used shoes, 100 sacks of snuff, 30 bags of foreign sugar (25kg each), 2,255 cartons of herbicide chemicals, 10 cartons of foreign couscous, 235 bags of foreign flour (25kg each) and Over 100 cartons of general goods as well as 24 cartons of analgine drugs.
The Customs chief explained that operatives of the command, in another operation, intercepted a truck with number plate GGE 526 XL conveying 750 sacks of donkey bones and meat with a combined Duty Paid Value estimated at over N3 billion.
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His words: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to today’s brief interaction on the activities of the Unit from 17th April to 17th May 2024.
“Of great importance is the interception of the illegal products of donkey perpetrated by some unscrupulous elements with no regard for the lives and preservation of endangered species like the donkey which is near extinction.
“It is therefore with a personal sense of sadness to announce that our officers and men on two separate occasions, impounded consignments of donkey bones and donkey meat, respectively, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of about Three Billion Naira.
“On April 25, 2024, operatives of the Unit acting on credible intelligence intercepted One (1) truck with Registration Number GGE 526 XL along Sokoto/Gusau Road in Zamfara State conveying illicit goods which were brought to Kaduna for further examination.
“Upon careful examination, the truck was discovered to be conveying 750 sacks of donkey bones. The DPV for the donkey bones was estimated at Two Billion, Three Hundred and Sixty Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N2, 363,500,000.00) only. It would interest you to know that One (1) suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Again on May 5, 2024 at about 0310hrs, the operatives of the Unit intercepted Two (2) Canter Trucks carrying Dried Donkey Meat along Kontagora – Tegina Road in Niger State. After 100% physical examination the trucks were found to contain 860 sacks of Dried Donkey meat. Three (3) suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Another concern is the seizure of 58,740 sachets of tramadol and 48,000 ampules of Analgine injection that was arrested by the operatives of the Unit on the 2nd of May 2024 at about 1130hrs along Saminaka/Nimbiya/Kafanchan axis of Kaduna state.
“These illicit drugs were neatly concealed with motor spare parts but our eagle eye was able to catch up with them. The DPV of these illicit drugs is One Hundred and Sixty-Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N167,500.00) only.”
The Customs chief however warned smugglers and other criminal elements in the zone to desist from their nefarious activities stressing that officers and men were ever ready to carry out their duties without fear or favour.
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