The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Tuesday, said it recovered N83.14 million from importers who paid lesser Customs Duty to the federal government at the Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos during a press briefing, the Customs Area Controller, Compt. Hussein Ejibunu, said the revenue was recovered through documentary checks and issuance of demand notices on consignments that have exceeded the two seaports.

“On revenue recovery, the sum of N83.14 million was generated through documentary checks and issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have been short-paid,” he stated.

He also stated further that the unit intercepted 60 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV), of N854.1 million in January, 2024.

Compt. Ejibunu, stated that the seizures were 23,025 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol and 3,653 bags (6.5 trucks) of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice smuggled into the country from Benin Republic.

Others are 241 bales of used clothes; 1,490 kg of Indian Hemp; 1,220 cartons of foreign tomato paste; 983 pieces of used tyres; 104 units of Haojue motorcycles; 556 cartons of slippers and 11 units of used vehicles.

According to him, smuggling has serious repercussions on the economy, the environment, health and security, thereby, calling for collaboration and strong partnership with other critical stakeholders through sharing of information and intelligence.

“Smuggling is a crime that has to do with the act of false declaration and concealment of goods, the use of unapproved routes and ports for the exportation or importation of goods, forging of Customs documents, willful under-payment of Customs duties, and trafficking in prohibited or restricted goods among others.”

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