Customs seize N5.5bn contraband-laden containers in Rivers

The Nigeria Customs Service in Port Harcourt, Onne, Rivers State, has seized 56 containers filled with contraband goods, including vegetable oil, tomatoes, and used clothing, worth N5.53 billion. These contraband items, which were concealed under declarations of machinery and spare parts, were imported illegally through the Onne Free Trade Zone.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the seizure at a press briefing. Adeniyi expressed concern over the abuse of free trade zone concessions by importers who were importing goods under false pretenses, subsequently diverting them to the local market. The seized containers contained a total of 45 containers of vegetable oil, nine containers of used clothing, and two containers of foreign tomato paste.

Adeniyi assured that the owners of the seized goods would face prosecution for violating import laws, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the nation's economy, protecting public health, and ensuring compliance with import regulations.