Customs seizes over N45b smuggled poultry products

The Nigeria Customs Service Operation Hawk Descend has seized over N45 billion poultry products smuggled into the country since the launch of the operation in July.

This was contained in a statement signed by NCS Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi, on Friday in Abuja and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Adeniyi said that Hawk Descend of the Federal Operations Units of the Customs was launched in July 2015.

Adeniyi said in the statement that the duty paid value was the highest recorded since the launch of the operation.

According to the breakdown of the seizures, Ogun State Command quantity of seizure is 6,565 cartons and duty paid value is N2,937,441.00.

Adeniyi added: “Federal Operation Unit (FOU) A (Lagos) quantity of seizure is 1,395 cartons and duty paid value is N7, 533,000.00.

“FOU B (Kaduna) quantity of seizure is 6,000 cartons and duty paid value is N35,000,000 and the total quantity is 13,960 cartons value at N 45,470,441.”

He said assessing the seizure trend, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi, said smugglers of poultry products were exploring routes in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country.

The customs spokesman said the special operation had made life difficult for smugglers in the South Western flank.

According to him, Abdullahi commended the FOU in Lagos and Kaduna for their huge seizures, adding that the FOU in the two states had put other Commands on alert.

“Last week, FOU Operatives in Kaduna apprehended two trucks conveying smuggled poultry products at Gidan Wali, along Babana border in Niger State,” he added.

Adeniyi said the success of operation Hawk Descend had attracted the commendation from the Poultry Association of Nigeria.

He said the President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Onallo Akpa, had expressed appreciation for the outstanding performance in containment of smuggled poultry products.

He added that farmers also commended FOU performance through various acts of onslaught, arrests and confiscation of smuggled poultry products into the country.

Adeniyi recalled that the NCS had signed a bilateral agreement with the Customs Administration of Benin Republic to synergise and share intelligence to boost operations along the borders.

He said to actualise the agreement, the Nigeria Customs Service had supported Benin Customs Administration with a donation of five new pick-up double cabin vehicles.

NAN.