The Comptroller Babatunde Olomu-led Apapa Area 1 Customs Command pulls down smugglers’ strongholds in its domain as it confiscates six containers of prohibited items worth over N292 million
By Innocent Chukwu
The Apapa Area 1 Customs Command has kept reemphasizing its non-tolerance for trade malpractices with the latest seizure of six containers laden with various unlawful imports. On Thursday, July 17, 2024, the Command said it made seizures of two 40ft containers carrying 12 thousand pieces of cutlass and machete. There was another seizure of two other containers caught the same day, these 2/40ft illicit containers were discovered to be carrying a total of 4,129 packages of frozen hen, according to the Command’s Area Controller ( CAC), Dr Babatunde Olomu.
Yet, the CAC of the command showcased two other different containers bearing different unlawful imports. One of the containers, a 40 footer, carried 368 jumbo bales of used second hand clothing, while the other one, also a 40 footer, was laden with expired pharmaceutical products. All the six contraband-laden containers were seized by the officers of the Command.
While showcasing the seizures to selected media men on Thursday, July 17, Comptroller Olomu said the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items amounted cumulatively to N292.2 million. Olomu said that “this type of importation is against Schedule 3 of the Revised Import Prohibition List of the Common External Tariff (CET) and violates Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023”.
Comptroller Olomu also said, “These seizures were made following a combination of intelligence and diligent enforcement in ensuring that no consignment exits Apapa Port or any terminal under the Command without undergoing proper examination.
“As a working principle, I have reiterated that we will continually sustain and improve on trade facilitation and maximum revenue collection without compromising the enforcement of our extant laws as they pertain to false declaration, concealment, under declaration and under valuation”.
