Customs seize N31.5m worth of contraband in Katsina

The Katsina Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has disclosed that it seized contraband which Duty Paid Value was put at N31,454,113.00 from April 1 to date.

This was disclosed on Wednesday by the NCS Area Controller for the Command, Dalha- Wada Chedi in Katsina at a press briefing.

According to him, the seizures included nine vehicles which DPV were at N 8,626,500.00 and other items worth N22,827,613.00.

The breakdown of all the seized items and their DPV as given by the Comptroller included on Toyota RAV 4 Jeep with Registration Number : ABJ 919 AE ( N 4,320,000.00); one used Peugeot 504 with Registration Number: AH 489 KMC ( N135,000.00); another used Peugeot 504 with Registration Number: FW 490 ABC ( N135,000.00); one Toyota Carina with Registration Number: AH 213 DBT ( N351,000.00) and another used Toyota Carina with Registration Number: XA 652 XA( N 351,000.00).

Other vehicles included one used Boxer bus with Registration Number: BMA 02 XA( N2,025,000.00); one used Golf car with Registration Number: AJ 624 GWK ( N432,000.00); one used Golf 3 Wagon with Registration Number: FTA 764 GWK ( N472,500.00) and one used Practic Bus with Registration Number: AA584 TTA ( N405,000.00)).

The seized items included 398 bags of 50 kg foreign rice ( N 8,756,000.00); 244 cartons of foreign Spaghetti ( N 1,464,000.00); 40 Cartons of foreign Macaroni ( N 240,000.00); 39 Jerry Cans of 25 litres of Vegetable Oil (N858,000.00); 95 Jerry Cans of 25 litres of PMS ( N 431,063.00) and 78 Jerry Cans of 25 litres of AGO ( N1,228,500.00).

The rest were 125 pieces of Cow skin ( N 918,750.00); 75 pieces of 50 kg Gas Cylinder ( N 6,300,000.00); 43 pieces of 40 kg Gas Cylinder ( N 1,896,300.00) and 25 pieces of 12.5 kg Gas Cylinder (N 735,000.00).

Comptroller Chedi said the Service would continue to enlighten people on the items that they could import and those that could not be imported.

The Customs boss warned however that the Service would not, under any circumstances, allow export of food items and grains from Nigeria.