Ogun Customs intercepts 1,963 bags of foreign rice in two weeks

The Ogun State Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said on Tuesday that it has intercepted 1,963 bags of foreign rice allegedly smuggled into the country in the last two weeks.

The Area Command Controller, Sanni Madugu, told newsmen at his office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, that information being circulated to officers of the service in the state show that the smugglers now make use of cement trucks to smuggle foreign rice into the country.

The Controller said the seizure also include two trucks that were being used to smuggle the seized rice, one motorcycle as well as Cannabis Saliva of a quarter sack, 8 cocoa-nut size and 2/ book size.

He put the duty paid value of the seized items at N58,611,000, adding that the seized cannabis would be handed over to the state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The Controller said information that are being circulated to officers of the service in the state show that the smugglers now make use of cement trucks to smuggle foreign rice into the country.

He however assured that the officers and men of the service would continue to improve on I intelligence gathering towards ensuring that they are ahead of the smugglers.

According to him, "Smugglers are changing tactics and methods and we are a step ahead of them".

"Now they are now using trucks to cover their smuggled products as if they are carrying cements".