Maritime

Customs, TinCan Command seizes 206,000 cutlasses, collects N135 billion in 3 months

By Ranmilowo Ojalumo

The Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Tincan Island Port, TCIP has declared a total of N135.4 billion as revenue generated between January and March, 2022.

The command within the months also seized eight 20 foot containers comprising 206 thousand pieces of brand new cutlass that were coming into Nigeria from Ghana.

The Customs Area Controller, CAC, Tincan Island Command, Comptroller Adekunle Oloyede, revealed this in the First Quarter Revenue and Performance Report of the command on Wednesday.

According to the controller, the seizures made during the months under review included: 145kg of Colorado (Indian hemp) Concealed in two units of Ridgeline trucks and two units of Toyota corolla vehicles, 206 thousand pieces of machetes.

Others included 640 bales of used clothes, 236,500 pieces of used shoes, 62,509 pieces of new lady’s shoes, 1,670,400 pieces of Chloroquine Injections (5mg/5ml), 1,814,400 pieces Novalgen Injection (500mg/5m)), 48,850 rolls of cigarettes and 23,800 tons of Sodium Bromate and Baking Powder.

While speaking at a press conference on Wednesday where the seized items were also displayed to newsmen, the controller said “there are eight containers of cutlass seized, because I will not allow cutlass without end users certificate. That is an instrument for war and not for farming use. Not even at this time that we are having security issues, they must go to the National Security Agency (NSA), and bring the end users certificate, otherwise they remain seized except there is a superior order but from this level the eight containers remain seized.

Speaking further on the cutlass, Oloyede said “the machetes are not blanked, they are ready to use. If these should get into the hands of hoodlums, imagine the security implications. If you must bring machete, because it is not banned, make sure you get the entire certificate necessary for importation of such.

Customs, TinCan Command seizes 206,000 cutlasses, collects N135 billion in 3 months
The seized cutlasses

“Things like caustic soda are used for improvised explosives, so we also ask them to have end users’ certificates like cutlasses, we want to know who would be the end user. It has to be controlled because of misuse by hoodlums, we cannot just allow these to go into town without knowing who the end users are, and we have to control the sale of this kind of instrument. They declared machetes, they did not falsely declare but we must know the end users, it is outright seizure,” he said.

On the revenue generated between January and March, 2022, the controller said there is an improvement of N22.7 billion which translate to about 20.18 percent increase compare to the revenue collected in the first quarters of 2021 which stood at N112, 6 billion.

The controller disclosed that 71,014 Metric Tonnes of goods were export through TinCan port within the first quarters of the 2022 with a total FOB value of about N56.2 billion as against N31. 3 billion in 2021 in 44,502 Metric Tonnes.

The goods exported through TinCan port within the first quarters, according to the controller included Copper Ingots, Stainless Steel Ingots, Sesame Seeds, Cashew Nuts, Cocoa Beans, Rubber, Cocoa Butter, Ginger and Frozen Shrimps among others.

In his word, the controller said “In the area of enforcement and anti-smuggling activities, seizures made include 145kg of Colorado (Indian Hemp) concealed in 2 units of Ridgeline truck and 2 units of Toyota Corola vehicles; 206 pieces of Machetes (cutlass); 640 bales of used clothes; 236,500 pieces of used shoes, 62,500 pieces of new lady’s shoes; 1,670,400 pieces of Chloroquine Injection (5mg/5ml); 1,814pieces of Novalgen Injection (500mg/5ml); 48,850rolls of Cigarettes and 23,800 tins of Sodium Bromate & Baking Powder.

“The import of these products contravenes Sections 46, 47& 161 of the Customs & Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45 LFN 2004. The duty paid value of these seizures amounted to N1, 048, 810,569.00”.

Oloyede however said the command is ready for war with importers that are not ready to comply with the import procedures.

editor

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