From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Area Command have intercepted two truckloads of contrabands comprising seven hundred and fifty 50kg bags of imported rice ferried into the country through Igbeti axis of the state.
The seizures which were all concealed with Veterinary chemicals/products, according to the Customs Area Controller, Mr. Richard Oteri, had Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N4,170,000.00.
Oteri told newsmen in Ibadan on Monday, that in the early hours of the day, one of the Customs patrol teams led by DSC Alajogun, J.A. on information patrol intercepted the two DAF ten tyres Trucks, with registration numbers AKD 15 XB (Red head/red body) and JJJ 998 XL (White Head/Green body) loaded with the contrabands.
While declaring that the seizures showed the operatives resolve to make the Oyo/Osun States a no hiding place for unpatriotic Nigerians who engage in this illicit business of smuggling, the Customs Area Controller used the medium to re-state that the importation of rice through the border remains prohibited saying that all those who wish to do so should use the nation’s sea ports.
He further remarked that the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abudullahi Inde Dikko was passionately committed to reducing smuggling of rice into the Country promising that the operatives in Oyo/Osun Area Command would do everything humanly possible to meet these yearnings and aspirations within the area of operation.
It is worthy of note to mention that the Oyo/Osun Area Command in the first six months of this year collected a total revenue of N6,675,297,022.62 and made a total of 247 seizures with a duty paid value of N337,213,280.94.
ENDS