The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun I Area Command, Idiroko said its personnel seized contrabands with a duty paid value of N770,666,237 between April and June 2024.
The information, shared via its X Account on Monday, revealed the intercepted items to include 219 sacks and 1,725 parcels of cannabis sativa, 940 rounds of live ammunition and 44,466 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
Others include 2,227 pieces of pneumatic foreign-used tyres, 64 bales, 222 sacks of used clothes, 2,947 cartons of frozen poultry products, 7,015 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 21 units of vehicles, 3 units of motorcycles, and 115 pairs of used shoes.
The command also generated a total of N92,369,227 revenue, which is a 52.46 per cent increase compared to the N53,983,622.00 recorded in the corresponding period of 2023.
The command said it surpassed the monthly revenue target of N34,122,666.90 in June 2024 by 77.86 per cent.
The Controller of the command, James Ojo while briefing the press in Abeokuta explained that the contrabands seized are better appreciated for their catastrophic effects on the people and the damage done to the economy is put into consideration.
Citing illicit drugs, Ojo said the rise in its abuse is of great concern in society and a threat to national security, due to its potential influence on criminal activities, such as armed robbery, banditry, cultism, kidnapping, terrorism, and other criminal activities.
He said the use of pneumatic foreign-used tyres popularly called “Tokunbo” poses a significant risk to motorists and puts their lives in jeopardy because these are tyres that have expired and could therefore burst and cause accidents at any time.
The Controller said smuggled poultry often lacks proper regulatory oversight, increasing the risk of harmful chemicals being used for preservation.
He said some of these chemicals used as preservatives can include formaldehyde and others which can be toxic if ingested, potentially causing acute and chronic health issues, including poisoning, cancer, and organ damage to the consumers.
Idiroko Border: Customs Sieze Contrabands Worth N770m, Generate N92m In 3-Month is first published on The Whistler Newspaper