Two trucks belonging to the Dangote Group with bags of foreign parboiled rice have been intercepted in a recent anti-smuggling drive by the Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
Briefing the press in Idiroko on Tuesday, 23 August 2022, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) Compt. Bamidele Makinde disclosed that t3154 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, an equivalent of five trailers, were seized in the period under review, but expressed worries at the brazen involvements of drivers in the fleet of Dangote Group of Companies.
According to him:: “A truck with Lagos State registration no. EKY 971 YE, belonging to the Dangote Group of companies, loaded with 75 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each concealed with 900 bags of Dangote Cement, was intercepted along Ibeshe Road, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, in the early hours of Sunday, 21st August 2022.
“Another Dangote truck with Kano State registration no. BCH 531 XA loaded with 228 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice of 50 kg each concealed with some bags of Dangote Cement along Lafenwa, Abeokuta axis, Ogun State in the early hours of today, 23rd August 2022”, he said, while calling for overhauling of the transport unit of the company.
The Customs boss noted with disdain the spate at which the drivers conspired with smugglers, using the company’s trucks to commit the crime, recalling how one was a few months ago intercepted with 648 bags, and deduced it to be a fundamental problem, “that requires reorganization of the transportation unit”.
Aside from the Dangote Group seizure, Compt. Makinde also said that various contrabands with a cumulative duty paid value (DPV) of N311,924,551.92 were seized in July 2022.
Of the figure, Thirteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty-Eight Thousand, Three Hundred and Seventy Naira, Zero Kobo (N13,848,370.00) was generated from import duty and auction sales of petroleum products (PMS), intercepted during anti-smuggling operations.
Several other items that formed the bulk of seizures recorded in the same month were
150 pieces of used compressors; eight used vehicles and six motorcycles as means of conveyance; 153 bales and 68 sacks of used clothing; 79 sacks of used shoes; 111 cartons and 220 pieces of foreign wines.
Others were 301 pieces of used tyres; 724 kegs (25 litres each) of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol): 310 cartons of frozen poultry products and 16 sacks of used bags.
Compt. Makinde emphasized the need for lawful businesses and gave the Command’s assurance of maximum cooperation for trade facilitation, saying: “You are free to contact us for any trade-related information, enquiry as well as complaints”.
He warned criminal elements in the state to steer clear of smuggling activities, as the Command remained resolute in its mandate of suppressing the menace and others of its like that tend to hamper the economic growth of the country, adding, “We shall foil any nefarious activities, make arrests and prosecute anyone caught in illicit acts”.
The CAC solicited the cooperation of all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians to always avail the Command with useful information that would assist in the fight against economic sabotage, all for the sake of national development.
“Let me at this point thank and appreciate the CGC, Col. Hamid Ali (rtd) and his management team for their continuous support, which has been enhancing our performance. May I also appreciate our gallant officers and men, critical stakeholders, members of the press, other security agencies and traditional rulers, for their continuous collaborative efforts and synergy with the Service while carrying out our statutory mandate in the state”, he said.