By Abibat Aliu
The Coordinator, Comptroller General Strike Force Team A, Mohammed Yusuf, has said his team intercepted N390 million illicit goods imported into the country through the Southwest region in September.
Yusuf stated this while displaying the seized items to newsmen at Ikeja, Lagos.
The items include 1500 x 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice, 839 bales of used clothes, 3,525 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 900 bags of cement used to conceal rice, 1,670 mum rite tomato paste, 500 mum rite sardine, vehicles, one pump action raffle, one locally-fabricated pistol, and 14 live cartridges.
Yusuf said foreign tomato paste, used clothing, importation of vehicles through the land borders, used tires, arms, and ammunition without end-user certificates among others are categorsied as prohibited items, which threaten our collective economy.
He said illicit goods imported into the country with negative consequences, mostly end up in homes thereby causing a wide range of issues ranging from social to the psychological crisis.
According to the coordinator, the team is focused on ensuring local industries are protected from unhealthy foreign competition and other forms of social security.
He said the team also recorded N748 million as revenue through documentary checks and issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have been short-paid.
Yusuf expressed displeasure that some Nigerians would pay all duties and levies payable to Customs authorities of other countries they import from while making conscious efforts to evade such payments into the federal coffers.
He warned none compliant traders to desist from such noting that the Customs have strategically mobilised and deployed its personnel to do the needful.
He also warned that unpatriotic importers/agents culpable shall be dealt with following the dictates of the law.
Yusuf also sought a strong partnership between Customs operatives and members of the public in areas of information sharing and moral support.
“As we are in the last quarter of the year; approaching the yuletide period, where recalcitrant traders and importers’ quest to make more profits through smuggling is at its peak. I would use this opportunity to appeal to importers and agents to be patriotic by making sincere declarations, and pay their duties accurately,” he said.
