As the heightened anti-poultry smuggling operations, code named Operation “Hawk Descend” got into the fourth week, smugglers of poultry products continued to count their loses as millions of smuggled imported frozen poultry products got seized.
2. Statistic in the fourth (4) week of this operation, showed that frozen poultry products worth N35,651,458.00 (Thirty Five Million, Six Hundred and fifty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifty Eight Naira Only) were seized. The figure indicate a sharp increase when compared to the report of week 3 which had Duty Paid Value of N28,660,717 (Twenty Eight Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventeen Naira Only).
3. The seizures which consist of 5,472 (five thousand, four hundred and seventy five) cartons of frozen poultry product, was confiscated at Idiroko bush path in Ogun States, Agbeji/Ife axis in Osun State and Seme axis in lagos State all around the South Western area of the country.
4. Below is the breakdown of the seizures:
a) Western Marine – 3,221 cartons
b) FOU A – 1,220 cartons
c) Ogun Command – 820 cartons
d) Oyo/Osun – 120 cartons
e) Seme Command – 91 cartons
Total – 5,472
5. While speaking on the achievements of the four weeks old operations, the Comptroller-General of Customs Dikko Inde Abdullahi, lamented the use of commercial vehicles to conceal and transport the banned poultry products. He called on owners of commercial buses operating in the South Western area to desist from such act or face the consequences of losing their vehicles and possibility of a jail term. He however expressed the hope that the re-invigorated collaboration between the Customs Administrations of Nigeria and Benin Republic will help to deal decisively with the crime of smuggling from both sides of the border.
Signed
Joseph Attah
Deputy Public Relations Officer
For: Comptroller-General of Customs
