The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’, says it has made seizures of 188 smuggled items between March and April.

Musa Jalo, controller of the unit, made this known on Thursday in Kaduna while showcasing the seized items to journalists.

According to him, during the period under review, the operatives made 188 seizures of 17 different prohibited items with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N628m at different locations within the zone.

Mr Jalo said some of the seized items included a used Mitsubishi conveying 46 sacks of suspected Cannabis Sativa concealed with Bags of Cassava flakes (Garri) and Sawdust along Bungudu-Tsafe Road in Zamfara.

He said the units also intercepted suspected opioids weighing 422 grammes alongside two male suspects, and a locally made pistol along Maigatari axis of Jigawa.

The controller disclosed that officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Kaduna state command had tested the seized substances.

“The test proved the illegal substance to be OPIUM. The substance together with the suspects and the exhibit were handed over to the NDLEA, Kaduna state command, for further investigation.”

He also said that in the course of the unit’s operation, the service seized assorted military camouflage shirts, trousers and t-shirts concealed in a sack.

The controller said that on examination and interrogation of the suspect, he confessed that he was to deliver them to someone in Katsina.

“The uniforms were counted to be 22 pairs of foreign tactical military camouflage shirts and trousers and 25 pieces of military camouflage t-shirts.”

He explains that the seized items had been handed over to the State Security Services (SSS). 

Mr Jalo listed other items impounded by the command including 140 Jerry cans of 25-litre automotive gas oil (Diesel), 1,147 Jerrycans of 25-litre Premium Motor Spirit, 37 used vehicles, and five units of vehicles meant for conveyance.

Others he said were 2,109 bags of 50 kilogrammes foreign rice, 69 bags of 25 kilogrammes of foreign rice, eight Jerrycans of smuggled vegetable oil, and 1,241 cartons of spaghetti and macaroni, and 39 bales of secondhand clothing.

“We also impounded 30 sacks of foreign secondhand shoes, 14 cartons of foreign fruit juice among other items,” he said.

He attributed the successes recorded within the period to the intensified efforts of personnel towards suppressing smuggling activities in the zone.

Mr Jalo reiterated the unit’s commitment to enforcing federal government’s fiscal policies, in accordance with its standard operating procedure.

He solicited the support of border communities in providing useful information that would assist the operatives to tackle smuggling, the interest of the nation.

(NAN)