By Kamil Opeyemi
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCoS) have intercepted 1,600 drums of expired tomato concentrate concealed in 20 containers.
The illegal cargo was seized at the Port and Terminal Multi Services Limited (PTML) in Lagos with one suspect arrested.
According to the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the said cargo is alleged to be belonging to a company identified as Nikecristy Investment Limited.
“On the 8th of August, 2023, during a routine examination, our vigilant officers at PTML uncovered each of the 20 containers laden with 80 drums were falsely declared as an almond shell to be a cache of expired tomato concentrate, deemed unsafe for human consumption,” he said
He stated that the containers that were imported from Spain have a duty-paid value (DPV) of over N116.2 million.
“The audacity of the smugglers to attempt to introduce this hazardous product into the Nigerian market is both shocking and disheartening.
“As of now, all these containers remain in our custody, officially recorded as seizures. We have apprehended one suspect, Mr. Okonkwo Oliver Izunna, who is currently under administrative bail but remains under investigation,” he said.