.Intercepts Tokunbo cars

The on-going battle between Oyo/Osun Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and unrepentant smugglers within the border community has taken a new dimension, as the Customs Crack Team intercepted a convoy of eight tokunbo cars loaded with prohibited goods from Igbeti-Saki axis, the route linking Nigeria with other neighbouring countries.

Sunday Vanguard, learnt that the culprits who smuggled in the vehicles with other contra-band goods came in a large convoy with armed escort in a bid to escape security checks but met a fierce opposition, as Customs seized the cars along with all the items. Some of the goods include textile materials, baby clothes, jean trousers, soap and second-hand shoes, among other prohibited items.

In the same vein, the Command impounded two 20footer trucks, two Faka-buses and a Canter loaded with rice. In a chat with Sunday Vanguard, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Mr. Oteri Richard, explained that the two Faka-buses were arrested along old Abeokuta road, by the Crack-Team, led by DSC Alajogun J. A.

“They also intercepted a Canter-bus loaded with rice at Igboora-Eruwa road. Team D and F made seizure of two trucks of rice along Iseyin-Saki axis. A total of 1,300 bags of rice were seized from April 2 to 16, 2014, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N16.4million”, he stressed.

He added, “The Command’s resolve to keep re-strategising its operational modalities, especially in the area of anti-smuggling has continued to pay off. The tokunbo cars were seized through the intelligence network of our Crack Team, notwithstanding the fact that they came in a large convoy with armed escort, which posed a threat to the officers.

The vehicles fully loaded with rice as you can see here were also intercepted by vigilant officers during operations. We are warning scrupulous importers trying to sabotage government policy on rice to desist from this illegal act or face the wrath of the law, as we will not hesitate to prosecution those sabotaging our economy.”

He went on, “The seized rice do not belong to legitimate importers saddled with the duty of rice importation through the seaport. Importation of rice through the nation’s borders is prohibited by government, yet smugglers still go to the neighbouring borders to bring in rice through the back door.

Their aim is to smuggle in rice without following the due  process in passing through the seaport to pay import duty, which is 10 per cent for rice. The Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko, has zero tolerance for rice and smuggling and we must enforce the law strictly”.

Our investigations revealed that the seized rice came from different companies with inscription like premium rice, queen rice and king rice, all packaged in 50kg bags.