Customs Seizes Cross River Contraband Worth About N274m

The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted foreign vegetable oil, used tyres, second-hand clothing and petrol with a duty paid value of about N274 million in Cross River State.

Vanguard reported that the Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command seized 1,996 kegs of vegetable oil and other prohibited goods with a combined value of N273.68 million.

Punch put the combined value at N273.7 million and reported the same seizure figures after a briefing by the Area Comptroller, Momodu Dauda, in Calabar.

According to Vanguard, the biggest operation took place on June 14 when customs officers along the Odukpani-Calabar Highway intercepted a truck carrying two 20-foot containers.

A search of the abandoned truck uncovered 1,996 kegs of 25-litre foreign refined vegetable oil. Vanguard reported the vegetable oil alone had a duty paid value of N195.5 million.

The command also intercepted 1,500 used tyres, 105 jumbo-sized rolls of second-hand clothing and 800 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, according to the reports.

Vanguard reported that the PMS seizure brought the command’s 2026 petrol seizures to about 5,760 litres. Punch also reported that the seized fuel was disposed of under safety procedures because of its combustible nature.

Dauda warned smugglers to stop illegal importation activities, saying the command would keep using intelligence-led enforcement against smuggling and economic sabotage.

Sources: Vanguard, Punch