Mobolaji Michael
SMUGGLERS, in their characteristic bid to outsmart Customs operatives through the importation of contrabands, were, again, beaten to their antics by the Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Seized, last Friday, 11th August 2023, were 1,245 rounds of 70mm (23/4) live ammunition of Lion, Trust, Supreme and Redstar branded cartridges, with a duty payable value (DPV) of Seventeen Million, Six Hundred and Thirty-Eight Thousand, One Hundred and Forty-Five Naira (N17,638,145.00) only. 
Disclosing this in a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer (CPRO), SC Hammed Bukoye Oloyede, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Compt. Bamidele Makinde said that the ammunition was “ingeniously concealed in 20 bags of intercepted foreign rice”.
Altogether, in the operation, a total of 203 bags of foreign parboiled rice were seized from five vehicles.
According to the Controller, “On Friday, 11th day of August 2023, the Command received credible intelligence on planned smuggling of prohibited items into the country from the Republic of Benin by unscrupulous elements.
“We swung into action by deploying our operatives on 24-hour surveillance to thwart their nefarious activities. At about 0024 hours on Friday, 12th August 2022, the Roving B Team of the Command intercepted five old vehicles (Toyota Camry with Chasis No. 4TIBG22KIWU312145, Toyota Camry with Chasis No. 4TIXK1263NU108237, and three Mazda 626 cars with Chasis Nos JM2GD14H201568566, JMZGF14F201173029 and JMZGF14P20141862, respectively”.
The said vehicles, the Customs boss said, were loaded with 203 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, abandoned in a bush path at Tobolo Junction, close to an exit point to the Republic of Benin, and near Ijoun (Yewa North Local Government Area), Ogun State, Nigeria.
Continuing, the CAC said, “During an examination of the seized vehicles and other items, about 1,245 rounds of 70mm (23/4) ammunition of Lion, Trust, Supreme and Redstar branded cartridges were found to have been ingeniously concealed in 20 bags of the intercepted foreign rice.
“While considering the potential danger of ammunition of such magnitude if successfully smuggled in, we redouble our efforts to ensure they do not find their way into the country.
“It’s a threat to the safety of the border communities and national security. We are committed to ensuring maximum security of our border lines with all sense of patriotism”, Compt. Makinde stated, adding that investigation was ongoing to unravel the cartel responsible for the attempted smuggling of the items for arrest and prosecution.
Eighteen-Eleven Media