BY FRANCIS EZEM

Strong indications emerged that the anti-smuggling campaign mounted by the Nigeria Customs Service is yielding good results as the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Lagos effected the seizure of a total 83 units of exotic vehicles and several other offending consignments within five months covering between April and first week of August, 2018.

Recall that the unit had last week intercepted a total of 2,748 cartons of codeine and 95 cartons of Chaka Xtra Pain Killer with a Duty Paid Value DPV of N1.18billion laden on a truck with registration number XB 286 BEN.

Also seized during the period under review include several bails of used clothes, jerry cans of vegetable oil, bags of parboiled rice, used shoes, foreign leather bags and used tyres, among several others.

Statistics on operational activities released by the Public Relations Officer of the unit, Jerome Attah show that a total of 30 of such exotic vehicles comprising seven Toyota Hilux (2018 models), three pieces of Toyota Prado Jeeps (2017), one Range Rover, one Ford Edge (2015), were seized between April 10 to May 15, 2018.

Similarly, the unit between the period covering May 16 to June 12, 2018 seized a total of 15 exotic vehicles including three Toyota C-HR (2018 models), one Toyota Camry LE (2018), one Toyota Prado (2018), one Toyota Hilux (2017), one Ford F150 (2017),  one Pajero Jeep (2017), one Mercedes Benz (2017) among other items.

In the month of July, 2018, the command seized a total of 21 exotic vehicles comprising one Mercedes Benz G-500 (2016),  six pieces of Toyota Hiace Bus (2018), three units of Lexus Jeep GX460and Lx570 (2017), one Toyota Hilux (2017 ), one piece of Toyota Land Cruiser Prado,(2016) one Toyota Hilux bullet proof (2014), one Toyota Corolla (2018), two  Toyota Camry (2016) one Honda Civic (2016), one Honda Accord (2016) and one Dodge Charger (2016), among others. The 21 exotic vehicles have a duty paid value DPV of N484.46million.

For the month of August, which covers the period between Middle of July and first week in August, a total of 17 vehicles were seized comprising seven Toyota Land Cruiser Jeeps (2015-2018), four Toyota Hiace Buses (2017), two Toyota Coaster Buses (2017) and four Toyota Camry cars (2014). These 17 exotic vehicles have a duty paid value DPV of N384.29million. It was gathered that four of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway, 13 were evacuated from House on Plot 1, Akintailor Close, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, based on credible information, among several other seizures.

The outgoing Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba, who has been redeployed to the Seme Border Command of the service attributed the various seizures to the re-invigoration of the command’s anti-smuggling machinery, which he admitted is yielding good results.

While giving more insights into the seizure of the Codeine laden on a MAN Diesel truck with registration number XB 286 BEN along Afromedia Estate by Egbeda Junction beside Alaba International carrying a total of 2,748 cartons of DSP Codeine Cough Syrup 100mg (100 per carton) and 95 cartons of Chaka Xtra Pain killer based on information.

According to him, this is the second time in a row the unit would be intercepting the substance since the Federal Government banned the importation of cough syrups that contains codeine about two months ago.

He had also disclosed that a total of 49 cartons of tramadol capsules 100mg were evacuated from warehouse in Ajao Estate based on information, which will soon be handed over to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC for further investigation.

Comptroller Uba expressed his appreciation to the Comptroller-General of the service, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) and his management for their logistics support that brought about all these feats during his tenure, while also thanking the media for their support during his tenure at FOU.