By Innocent Orok
The Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 177 Sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) making a total of 12,500 litres of PMS with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N8,750,000.
Briefing journalists on Friday, the Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye said that the seizure was made along Isalu Creek Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic at about 23:30 hours on Wednesday, 8th May, 2024.
According to Bamisaiye , the officer got the intelligence information while on joint patrol by Teams in the Command that two Boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in Sacks
and on receipt of the information the team moved into Isalu Creeks, Badagry Waterway where the seizure was made while the smugglers took to their heels on sighting the officers..
Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye who is barely three weeks as the Controller of the Command said, “In fulfillment of its anti-smuggling functions which is one of the core mandate of Nigeria Customs Service as enshrined in the NCS Act 2023, the Western Marine Command of the Service in a major onslaught against the reign of smuggling on our Western Waterways and Creeks has made a seizure of One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres containing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) along Isalu Creek Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
“This Seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only.
“The action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service through Western Marine Command is responsible for enforcing”, he said.
He further said that the Command under his leadership is poised more than ever to rid our Waterways of all acts of smuggling and economic sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria.