Customs Seize N5.5bn Contraband in Rivers State

The Port Harcourt Area II Command of the Nigeria Customs Service in Onne, Rivers State, seized 56 containers containing contraband products with a duty-paid value of N5.53 billion. The seized items included vegetable oil, tomatoes, and used clothing, which were concealed under false declarations of machinery and spare parts.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, announced the seizure during a news briefing on Tuesday. He expressed concerns over the misuse of concessions granted to operators in free trade zones, noting that some importers have diverted goods meant for these zones into local markets.

Specifically, 45 containers of Delicious Pur brand vegetable oil were declared as machinery, with a total duty-paid value of N4.25 billion. Additionally, nine containers of used clothing valued at N1.045 billion and two containers of foreign tomato paste worth N232 million were also seized.

Adeniyi assured that the owners of the seized goods would face consequences for their actions.