The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nige­rian Customs Service (NCS) says it intercepted 384 parcels of In­dian hemp imported from Ghana and concealed in six bales of used clothes along Iyana-Ipaja Road.
 
The unit also recovered N607.71 million in Duty Paid Value (DPV) from intercepted contraband and interventions on duty payment/Demand Notices on general goods, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Gar­ba told newsmen in Lagos.
 
According to him, the smug­glers had tried beating the system at the airport, seaports and border stations by false declaration, trans­fer of value and shortchanging of duty payment between April and June 12, 2017.
 
Also, “10 suspects were arrest­ed in connection with the seizures, and a total of 152 different seizures recorded, comprising vegetable oil, foreign parboiled rice, frozen poul­try products, smuggled vehicles, In­dian hemp, used tyres and various general merchandise,” he said.
 
“We also seized five contain­ers, based on information, and af­ter physical examination, they were found to have contravened Cus­toms law on false declaration and breach of import prohibition list.”
 
Garba listed the five seized containers as 1x40ft container (with number ACLU967372/1), containing 2,322 pieces of used tyres and two used vehicles, and 1x40ft container (with number CMAU437648/0), containing 2,660 pieces of used tyres.
 
The third is 1x40ft container (with number CMAU717109/9), containing 170 cartons of pis­ton ring compressor, and 1x20ft container (with number TGHU141216/5), containing 12 pallets of general calcium/vehicle batteries of 108 pieces per pallet.
 
The fifth is a 1x40ft container (with number TCLU753359/2), containing log of unprocessed rough wood ready for export. Ac­cording to him, false declaration contravenes section 46 (f) of CEMA Cap C45 LFN 2004, and attracts outright seizure. - The Authority