Zone C Customs Intercepts N403.5m Vegetable Oil.
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a major breakthrough in its anti-smuggling operations with the interception of a large consignment of smuggled foreign vegetable oil valued at over N403.5 million.
The seizure was made following strategic intelligence gathering and coordinated enforcement operations by officers of the Unit, resulting in the interception of two trailers transporting the prohibited products.
Items seized include 3,310 jerry cans (25-litre kegs) of Super Delicious vegetable oil, 10 jerry cans (10-litre kegs) of the same brand, 20 cartons of 5-litre sunflower vegetable oil, and 20 cartons of 3-litre sunflower vegetable oil.
According to the Unit, the first truck carrying the contraband was intercepted at about 10:00 p.m. on May 9, 2026, along the Ninth Mile axis in Enugu State, while the second truck was intercepted on June 7, 2026, along the Onitsha–Agbor Highway following credible intelligence.
The Command disclosed that the seized goods have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N403,491,000.
Commenting on the operation, the Controller of FOU Zone ‘C’, Comptroller Bashir Balogun, described the seizure as a major setback for economic saboteurs whose activities threaten local industries and the nation’s economy.
He noted that the illegal importation of foreign vegetable oil undermines domestic production, limits technology transfer, reduces employment opportunities, and negatively impacts foreign exchange earnings.
Balogun said the operation underscores the Service’s unwavering commitment to enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2022 and the Federal Government’s fiscal and protective policies prohibiting the importation of foreign vegetable oil.
He warned smugglers and criminal syndicates to desist from such activities, stressing that the Nigeria Customs Service would continue to deploy intelligence-driven enforcement strategies to protect public health, strengthen national security, and support the domestic economy.
The seized vegetable oil remains in the custody of the Service as investigations into the smuggling network continue.
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