The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos, has earned about N1.3 billion through its anti-smuggling operations in December 2016.

The Public Relations Officer, Customs FoU, Jerry Attah, in a statement on Wednesday said the command intercepted various contrabands with a duty paid value (DPV) of N893.8 million during the period.

He also noted that the unit through its interventions recovered N494.4 million from duty payments and demand notices on vehicles and other general goods that tried to beat the system from seaports, airport and border stations in the guise of false declaration, transfer of value, and shortchange in duty payment that are meant for the Federal Government.

These huge recoveries, which made a cumulative of N1.388 billion was attributed to the leadership by example and motivation the Comptroller gave to the officers and men of the Unit when he assumed duty and some appreciable compliance levels of some patriotic Nigerians who voluntarily paid appropriate duties on their goods and vehicles before the deadline on the ban of vehicles through the land borders.

While commending the officers and men of the Unit for living up to their statutory responsibilities in suppression of smuggling and enhancing trade facilitation towards sustaining best international standards, the Controller, Federal Operations Unit ‘A’, Comptroller Haruna Mamudu, thanked the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), for his effort in appreciating hardwork and diligence to duty, and for always being there in giving a helping hand when the need arises.

In another development, the Unit also arraigned two Chinese smugglers Shu Xiang Quan and Wu Sheng and a Nigerian- Ugochukwu Frank, before Hon. Justice Mohammed Hassan of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos State, on December 29th, 2016, on four counts charge of storing and exporting prohibited items.