The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a revenue generation of N2.6bn in five months.
The Command also recorded seizures which duty paid value was put at N800million for the same period.
The Customs Area Controller(CAC), Comptroller Timi Bomodi disclosed this at a media briefing held in Seme Border on Tuesday.
Bomodi told newsmen, “the Command has continued to sustain the tempo in the area of revenue generation. In the period under review, we collected a total N 2, 634, 190, 645.53 only. This amount surpasses that of 2023 for the same period by 272%.”
On anti-smuggling, the Controller said the Command recorded 474 interception of various contraband items within the period under review.
Among the items, according to him, were 12,448 Jerrycans x 30 liters each which is equivalent to eight (8) tanker loads, rice: 6,467 Bags of 50kg, which is equivalent to 10 trailer loads, 15 used vehicles, 1, 251parcels of cannabis sativa”
He said that the Command noticed that there has been a marked increase in the illegal importation of cannabis from Ghana, adding that different methods have been used by criminals in their efforts to beat our officers,
But added that all their efforts have been neutralized.
Among others were wild animal: 20 live parrots, honey birds, pelican birds, 303 live tortoises, 149 packages of codeine and 45 pieces of used tyres”.
On export, the Command facilitated 143, 468 Metric Tonnes of export produce, with FOB value of N35, 199, 971. 097.7 which is equivalent to ($38, 461, 397.39, adding that the NESS value paid is ₦174, 518, 464.82.
He also disclosed that 18 suspects were arrested in connection with these seizures, with 11 of them granted administrative bails, three handed over to NDLEA for further agency action, One was handed over to the Nigerian Police, while 4 suspects are still in our custody.
“Also recently arrested is a notorious smuggler whose reign of terror in this area has come to an end and will be made to face the full wrath of the law” , he said.
