By Adesoba Toluwalope
The Nigerian Customs Service Strike Force has arrested suspended smugglers and seized goods worth 24.3 million Duty Paid Value (DPV).
The Deputy Controller General, Olorukoba Ussaini Aliyu, stated while displaying the seized items to newsmen on Tuesday in Kano, that this attempt and arrest is to shake up the smuggling business to the nearest minimum.
The Deputy also warned the smugglers to stop the act or accept the consequences when caught. Because there is also a price to pay for disobedience.
“No way for them. Whenever they go, they have us to contend with. We have a message for them (those who smuggle counterfeit goods) that they get a genuine legitimate trade or relocate. We will not stop at picking their wares, we will chase and trace them to ensure they are tried in the court and ensure they are jailed.
“We are not leaving any stone unturned. Whoever dares us will have him or herself to blame.
“We are here on the orders of the comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), to ensure that anything smuggling is nipped in the bud if not in totality but to the nearest minimum.
“We have made these seizures right before you here in the last three weeks and two suspected smugglers were also arrested,” Aliyu said.
Reports have it that smuggling of counterfeit goods such as cars, foreign rice, spagetti, hand down clothes are becoming less and unheard of due to the swift arrests of the Nigerian Custom Service Strike Force.
