Nigeria Customs seizes nine trucks of smuggled rice in Ogun State

The Nigeria Customs Service seizes nine trucks of smuggled rice in Ogun State, preventing illegal importation from the Republic of Benin.

 

 

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has successfully confiscated nine trucks loaded with bags of smuggled rice in Ogun State.

The operation, carried out by operatives of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, marks a significant effort to combat illegal imports into the country.

 

Also read: Customs intercept 18,750 litres of PMS worth N13.2m in Ogun

 

Kola Oladeji, the Comptroller of the FOU Zone A, revealed the operation’s success in a press briefing held in Lagos on Monday.

According to Oladeji, the smugglers attempted to bring the rice into Nigeria from the Republic of Benin, but were thwarted by the swift response of the customs officers.

The smugglers, upon spotting the approaching customs operatives, abandoned their vehicles and fled the scene.

The Nigeria Customs Service then mobilised additional resources, including six extra buses and 11 patrol vehicles, to transport the seized rice to the customs warehouse.

“We realised that, in compliance with our strategy of not shooting at any smugglers, our officers hired trucks and used some of our patrol vehicles to convey the items here,” Oladeji explained.

The confiscation of these nine trucks of smuggled rice is part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s continued efforts to prevent illegal importation and protect the country’s economy.