- By Femi Alabi
The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, has seized a truckload of 500 bags of beans with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N61.4 million.
Customs Area Controller, Timi Bomodi stated this during a press briefing on Tuesday.
He stated that seized items have been deposited at the Government warehouse for safekeeping and eventual sale to the public.
Highlighting the anti-smuggling activities from January to February 2024, Bomodi reported 168 interventions resulting in the seizure of 2,193 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 81,930 liters of Petrol, 9 vehicles, 1,425 general merchandise, 265 parcels of cannabis sativa.
Others are 149 packages of codeine, and 2 locally manufactured guns, with a combined Duty Paid Value of N365,888,696.00.
He added that thirteen suspects were arrested, with 6 granted administrative bail, 3 handed over to NDLEA, 1 to the Nigeria Police, while 3 remain in custody.
On revenue generation, he disclosed the Command’s yearly target of N7.875 billion, representing a 400% increase from 2023. The monthly collectible revenue is N656.258 million.
January 2024 saw a collection of ₦643,038 million, and February, ₦517,950 million, totalling ₦1,160 billion, about 88% of the expected revenue.
Bomodi assured that the NCS remains committed to its responsibilities, stating that the time is challenging, thus demanding a more formidable defence at the Seme/Krake Joint Border Post as criminals become more desperate and daring.