FOU ‘C’ Customs Intercepts Goods Worth Over 722 Million in Seven Weeks

FOU ‘C’ Customs Intercepts Goods Worth Over 722 Million in Seven Weeks

Comptroller Michael Ugbagu of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘C’ Owerri, on Tuesday, 11 June 2024, said the unit had intercepted items with a Duty Paid Value of N722,947,200.0 within seven weeks of his assumption of duty.

He stated this at the maiden press briefing
held at Owerri, the headquarters of Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’ while highlighting the recent strides made by the Unit in its anti-smuggling operations.

Compt. Ugbagu, who resumed on 19 April 2024, highlighted the critical objectives set forth by the Customs management: the blockage of revenue leakages, trade facilitation, and the intensification of anti-smuggling operations across seaports, land borders, and airports within the South/South-South/East zone. These directives, he noted, have already yielded substantial results.

“In just seven weeks, we have intercepted various contrabands with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N722,947,200.00,” Ugbagu stated.

He also reported the recovery of N22,131,274.00 from Demand Notices issued due to identified infractions, bringing the cumulative total to N745,078,474.00 for the period under review.

The seizures included a diverse array of contraband goods: 21 cartons of unregistered medicaments such as Rohypnol Flunitrazepam, 325 jumbo bales of second-hand clothing, 49 parcels of cannabis sativa, 42 used pneumatic tyres, and 13 logs of unprocessed wood.

He said the items were intercepted at various points. Ugbagu attributed these successful operations to credible intelligence and diligent surveillance by his team. He also stated that seven suspects were apprehended in connection with these seizures.

Comptroller
Ugbagu underscored the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to enforcing laws governing the importation and exportation of goods, directly contributing to Nigeria’s economy, security, and overall well-being.

Addressing the public, Comptroller Ugbagu called for cooperation with Customs officers, especially during the forthcoming Sallah celebrations. He urged citizens to comply with searches and treat field officers with respect, assuring that officers would perform their duties professionally and humanely.

Ugbagu commended the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the entire management team for their support and recognition of hard work and dedication within the service. He also commended his colleagues in the Customs Intelligence Unit and Customs Police for their resilience and prompt intelligence sharing.

He urged the media and the public to support the fight against smuggling, stressing that collective effort is crucial to overcoming this challenge.

He also issued a stern warning to economic saboteurs planning to exploit the festive period for illegal activities, promising that new tactical strategies are in place to thwart such attempts.

“The fight against smuggling can only be won if all hands are on deck,” Ugbagu stated.