The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone C, Owerri, Imo State, on Thursday said it seized 5,200 live ammunition and contraband estimated at N378,751,935 between November 23 and December 27, 2020.
The Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone C, Yusuf Lawal, in a statement by the Zonal Public Relations Officer, Jerry Attah, said the unit also recovered N7,557,731 from demand notices on goods that evaded search from seaports through false declaration, transfer of value, and short-change in duty payment.
Lawal, who stressed the sudden rise in the smuggling of arms and ammunition into the country, said the intercepted ammunition was concealed with other goods and household items in a Toyota Sienna, along the Nwezenyi Ikom Road, Cross River.
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According to him, other items intercepted include 1,215.50 kilogram bags of foreign parboiled rice concealed in bags of beans, maize and groundnut seeds; 38 jumbo bales of used clothing; 204 cartons of imported tomatoes; and four used exotic vehicles, including one new bulletproof Toyota Landcruiser 2019 model, two Toyota Hilux 2016 and 2015, respectively, one Mercedes Benz 2015, and other controlled pharmaceutical products.
He noted that three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
Lawal said, “Only God knows what would have happened if the cartridges got to the destination unchecked, considering the fragile security of the nation; from armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry to insurgency. The seized ammunition falls under Schedule 4 of the Common External Tariff; its importation is prohibited.”
The controller, while charging the NCS officers to be professional and diligent in performing their statutory responsibilities in 2021, warned all economic saboteurs and smugglers to desist from illegal business.
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