Drama As Customs Officers Impound 23 Trucks With Smuggled Rice, Others In Ogun

No fewer than 23 trailers conveying bags of foreign parboiled rice have been impounded by the Nigerian Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command.

The Customs officers impounded the bags during its operations in the third quarter of the year.

The seized trailers included two Dangote trucks loaded with foreign rice, hidden within bags of cement.

The Area Controller, Bamidele Makinde, said this while speaking on the achievements of the command during the time under review at a press briefing held in Idiroko, Ipokia Local Government, Ogun State.

The customs boss explained that findings have shown that the Dangote trucks used for smuggling are not owned by the company, but are being operated by individuals who transport cement on a franchise agreement with the company.

“These people you see smuggling with trucks with Dangote imprinted on them are not real Dangote trucks. They are not owned by the company, but they operate under a franchise agreement.”

The customs boss listed the command’s seizures for the quarter to include, 11,358 bags of smuggled foreign rice of 50kg each, which is about 38 Trailer loads; three trucks loaded 513 bags of smuggled rice intercepted during anti-smuggling operations along Obada axis and Ibese/Itori road, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, respectively.

“In addition to the above, the Command recorded seizures of 1,550 pieces of used tyres and 180 bales of used clothing in a warehouse situated along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

“Details of other seizures and their DPVs are 227 seizures, comprising 16 units of vehicles used as means of conveyance; two units of used vehicles (Tokunbo); 2,706 kegs (67,650 Litres) of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), eight units of motorcycles (Means of Conveyance),” Makinde explained.

He listed other impounded items to include 80 kegs of vegetable oil (25 litres each); 201 bales and 76 sacks of second-hand clothing; 89 bales of textile (wrapper) among others.

He disclosed that the import duties and other revenues generated from the auction sales of petrol are N38,537,267.

The Controller appealed to smugglers to get alternative legitimate business as the command will stop at nothing to ensure that the state is free of contraband.