Barely three months after the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted 660 pieces of pump action emanating from Apapa port; the NCS has once again intercepted 440 pieces of the riffles at the Tin Can Island Port.
While displaying the guns to journalists at the Tin Can Island Command of Customs yesterday, Zonal Coordinator of Zone A’ of Customs, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs Monday Abueh said that the import originated from Turkey.
The guns were concealed inside a forty footer container with numbers PONU210024 (1) 22G1 carrying POP powder used for design of houses.
This was even as the Ports & Cargo terminal has denied report that the contraband was seized in their terminal.
In a statement made available by the Corporate Affairs Manager of SIFAX, Muyiwa Akande, the company frowns at reports that the contrabands were found in their terminal.
However, the Zonal Coordinator had stated that the container was intercepted based on intelligence obtained by the Tin Can Island Customs Command. He added that the container was whisked away by customs even before declaration was made.
He said one suspect have been apprehended in connection with the seizure. The customs was said to have arrested the container on Monday night and transferred it to its enforcement unit where other security agencies were called in to inspect it.
Speaking, Abueh said, “These are pump action of various designs. Based on intelligence report of the Tin Can Island Customs under Controller Bashir Yussuf, he is one of our best officers, he was able to make use of the intelligence report made available to him and the container was identified and intercepted, there is no question of any officer releasing container here, it was intercepted even before declaration.
“We discovered that they used POP powder to conceal it in order to beat the customs checks. We have one defendant but for the purpose of indemnity we don’t intend to detain him for long because of security reason. As of the consignee, we are still keeping it because investigations are still ongoing. We have about 440 pieces coming from Turkey.”
Source: leadership.ng
