Following the seizure and arrest of suspects, the area NCS has advised members of the public to desist from nefarious smuggling activities
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Owerri has revealed that it has seized 48 contraband with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N197.38 million in July.
The Customs Area Comptroller (CAC) of the unit, Mr David Dimka, made this revelation while addressing newsmen on the performance of the unit on Sunday in Owerri.
He stated that 30 suspects were arrested in connection with the smuggling on the Benin/Asaba Express Way, Owerri/Port-harcourt Road and Enugu axis.
He said that 20 cases were now pending in the court in respect of the seizures.
Dimka said apart from the 48 seizures, an under-payment of N24.25 million was also recovered.
According to him, a breakdown shows that 69 bales of second hand clothes; 39 vehicles; 139 pieces of used tyres; 244 pairs of used foot wears and 60 bags of 50kg rice were seized.
Dimka warned that all illegally imported goods would be impounded as ignorance of the law was no excuse.
He also warned that the NCS would not succumb to "senseless and irrational pleadings for leniency and pardon by individuals caught in the act of smuggling."
He said it would amount to compromising the statutory responsibilities of the establishment.
Dimka decried the upsurge of smuggling of goods in the country in spite of obvious stiff penalties for culprits. He assured that the service would never be deterred in its mission to bring the scourge to its barest minimum.
Dimka warned such unpatriotic individuals to desist from their nefarious activities as the NCS was now better equipped, trained and motivated to tackle smuggling.
He advised youths to purge themselves of “get-rich-quick mentality”, noting that the quest for materialism by many often pushed them into crimes and other illicit activities.
He also gave assurance that such classified information would not be divulged, in line with the ethics of the profession.