Nigeria Customs Service, FOU Zone ‘C’, Seizes Contraband Valued at N510.9 Million
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’ (FOU C), has made a significant seizure of contraband goods worth N510.9 million between July 15 and September 15, 2024. Comptroller Michael Ugbagu announced this during a press briefing in Benin City, Edo State.
According to Comptroller Ugbagu, the seized items, intercepted within the area of the unit’s coverage, include 49,699 sachets of various brands of tramadol, 3,350 bottles of cough syrup containing codeine without proper NAFDAC registration, 1,015 sacks of dry donkey meat and skin, 75 jumbo bales of second-hand clothing, 463 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 269 used pneumatic tyres, and 56 cartons of foreign tomato paste.
Comptroller Ugbagu expressed concerns about the dangers of tramadol and codeine-laced syrups to Nigerian youth, highlighting their potential social and health impacts. He also noted that the donkey meat and skin were intercepted due to Nigeria’s ban on the trade of donkeys, as they are an endangered species,<span;> “Nigeria, as a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), has placed a ban on the trade of donkeys due to their endangered status,” he stated.
He highlighted concerns over the illicit trade in donkey parts, typically bound for Asian markets. To combat this, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is working with authorities to destroy seized donkey meat and halt further illegal trade.
Comptroller Ugbagu sounded the alarm on the cunning tactics of smugglers, who are now using luxurious buses to transport illegal goods under the cover of night. He emphasized that Nigeria cannot afford to lose its donkeys to illicit exports, given their significant economic value in agriculture.
He also announced that the unit recovered N25.6 million through demand notices for various infractions, significantly boosting the total revenue saved and recovered during the operation to N536.5 million. This remarkable achievement underscores the unit’s unwavering commitment to combating smuggling and protecting Nigeria’s economy.
Comptroller Ugbagu praised Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi and his team for their invaluable support, which played a crucial role in the successful interceptions.
He is calling on the public to join forces with NCS and report any smuggling activities, especially during the “ember months”. This period is notorious for increased illicit activity, and the NCS wants to put a stop to it. He also issued a stern warning to economic saboteurs, stressing that the NCS would continue to intensify its efforts to protect the nation’s economy from the damaging effects of smuggling.
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