The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Imo State, says it intercepted and seized 230 bags of foreign rice and used tyres concealed in a truck loaded with crates of beverage in December 2019.
Kayode Olusemire, Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’, made the disclosure while displaying the seized items in Owerri and Benin offices respectively.
He said the items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N182 million was seized along Benin axis and Owerri -Port Harcourt Road.
Olusemire said investigation was ongoing to ascertain those behind the nefarious act.
He said that the driver of the truck fled and abandoned the vehicle upon interception by custom officials.
He said some of the items seized by the zone during the yuletide included rice, suitcases, vegetable oil, cartons of toilet soaps and used tyres, saying that customs were not relenting on efforts to rid the borders of smugglers.
“Anyone that sees the truck will think it is carrying just empty crates. But the crates are concealing 230 bags of foreign rice.
“We will continue to intercept and seize smuggled goods as the smugglers would never escape our radar.
“We are mopping up rice in this zone and anywhere we find a bag of foreign rice, we will pick it up,” he said.
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