Seme Customs intercepts 11 trailers of rice
.22 exotic cars
.7 suspects in Customs net
By Silas Onouha
The CAC displaying seizure of tramadol concealed with wrappers:
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command has recorded outstanding performance in anti-smuggling operations, as the Command intercepted over 22 exotic cars, 6,753 bags of foreign rice (equivalent to over 11 trailer trucks) in just one month.
That was not all. The Command also arrested seven suspects in connection with the seized items.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Seme Command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba, described by senior officers, as ‘Action Controller’, disclosed this at a press briefing yesterday, taking media men round the warehouse and other departments where seized items were displayed.
Some of the seized exotic cars:
The CAC also showcased spectacular seizures of a Toyota 4-runner, 2014 model smuggled in through his area of coverage but intercepted by his men. A vehicle loaded with cartons of tramadol but concealed with female wrappers and another vehicle belonging to a Yoghurt company seized with smuggled rice. Other seized items include sugar and secondhand shoes, among others.
Seized rice:
Comptroller Uba who addressed Journalists with the DC Enforcement, DC Adhunse, along other top officers of the Command explained: “This is unwavering resolve of our officers in various operations focusing in maximising revenue generation, suppression of smuggling and facilitation of legitimate trade proficiently enforced across the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, in the first month of 2019.
The fake school bus:
“In the month of December, 2018, the Command collected N623million revenue, representing 92percent of the Command’s revenue target. The Command also made seizures worth millions of Naira. The total for seizures and revenue is N1.0billion.
“Other seizures, as you can see here are 6,753 bags of foreign rice (equivalent to over 11 trailer trucks), with Duty Paid Value, DPV, of N121,689,060 plus levy of N35,790,900, making a total of N157,479,960. The Command also seized 45 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 135 bags of sugar, 71 jerrycans of fuel, 21 cartons of tinned-tomatoes and secondhand shoes.
Comptroller Uba addressing news men:
“Aside from all the seizures here, 91 parcels of hard drugs were successfully handed over to NDLEA. One of the suspects transferred to NDLEA was prosecuted and sentenced to two years in prison”.
He said, “As we look forward to a prosperous year, on behalf of our officers at Seme Command, we extend our unreserved appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Ali Hameed and his Management Team for continuous support, as well as encouragement”.
SC Isah Adamu, second right, Comptroller Uba, DC Enforcement and other officers of Seme Command, at the press briefing yesterday:
In the same vein, more seizures were still being brought to the Command during the press conference. The team was led by SC Isah Adamu, an officer with Seme Customs.
