The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit
(FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri has continued to effectively checkmate
the excesses of smugglers of contraband goods in the country
following the latest seizure of a total of 24,273 cartons of
imported frozen poultry products with a Duty Paid Value (DPV)
of N 256,264,200.
In a press statement released by the Public Relations Officer of
the Unit, Onuigbo Ifeoma, the Customs Area Controller,
Comptroller Haruna Mamudu said that the items which were
cleverly and deceitfully concealed in a Scania truck with an
inscription ‘DHL’ were seized on the Benin axis in Edo State.
Compt. Haruna, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen at
the Customs Warehouse in Benin said that the Duty Paid Value
(DPV) of the items impounded stood at N256,264,200 just as
three suspects were arrested by the eagle-eyed Customs men
on duty in connection with the illegal business.
The Customs Comptroller, who spoke of the consequences
usually associated with the consumption of foreign frozen
poultry products preserved with chemicals meant for the
preservation of dead bodies, regretted that a number of untimely
deaths had occurred as a result of this.
He said that the NCS had continued to ensure maximum media
publicity in respect of the dangers posed to human health by
imported frozen poultry products and warned those still
engrossed in the illicit business to desist forthwith in their own
interest or face the full weight of the law.