The Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘B’ of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, has between March and April 2023, made about one hundred and eighty-eight (188) seizures of seventeen (17) different prohibited items.
The prohibited seized items which have a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of six hundred and twenty-eight million, two hundred and eighty-six thousand, six hundred and sixty naira and sixty-two kobo (N628, 286, 660.62K) were made at different locations within the zone.
This was disclosed by the Zonal Comptroller, Musa Jalo while briefing newsmen at the unit headquarters in Kaduna.
According to Jalo, the Operatives of the Unit while on credible intelligence intercepted one used Mitsubishi Canter conveying sacks of cannabis sativa otherwise known as marijuana concealed with bags of cassava flakes (Garri) and sawdust along Bungudu-Tsafe road in Zamfara State.
“After physical examination, the vehicle was found to contain 46 sacks of Marijuana, with a street value of two million, sixty-nine thousand, one hundred and forty-four naira.
“Similarly, our operatives arrested a suspicious white illegal narcotic substance together with two male suspects and one locally made pistol in the course of our anti-smuggling operations at Maigatari axis of Jigawa State. The illegal substance alongside the male suspect was arrested for further action.”
The Comptroller said the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Kaduna State Command were invited to carry out a test on the illegal substance to determine its true nature. The test further proved the illegal substance to be OPIUM substance with a total weight of four hundred and forty-two grams (422g).
He further mentioned that a used Volkswagen Golf was also arrested along the Jibia-Katsina road conveying assorted military camouflaged shirts, trousers, and T-shirts.
Jalo said the Unit officers likewise impounded 140 Jerry cans (25 litres each) of automotive gas oil (Diesel) with DPV of over two million naira.
The Comptroller further listed other seized items to include; thirty-seven (37) units of used vehicles, 2,109 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each and another 69 bags of foreign parboiled Rice of 25 KG each.
Other items are, 8 Jerry cans of foreign refined vegetable oil (25 Litres each), 1,241 cartons of foreign spaghetti and macaroni, 39 bales of foreign used clothing, 30 sacks of foreign second-hand shoes, 14 cartons of foreign fruit juice, 21 cartons of foreign pomade, 80 pieces of foreign car batteries and 1 carton of foreign milk.
“I am happy to inform you that our renewed effort has been recognized by the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) CFR and his management team by giving the Unit a Letter of Commendation, this will go a long way in boosting the morale of the Officers and Men of the Unit,” he stressed.
Jalo reiterated his commitment to enforcing the Federal Government Fiscal policies following Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as the operatives are battle-ready to carry out their mandate effectively.
