The Zone A Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, announced that it intercepted 150 cartons of bulletproof jackets worth N1.687bn.

Addressing journalists in Ikeja, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the unit, Kola Oladeji, said the contrabands were intercepted along the Ijebuode-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State.

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Oladeji explained that each carton contains 10 packs of the jacket, adding that these contrabands were seized in June.

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He explained that under Schedule 4 of the Customs Common External Tariff, the importation of all kinds of military wares by individuals was under absolute prohibition.

“An end-user certificate is required for the importation of controlled items and products into Nigeria and it comes from the Office of the National Security Adviser,” Oladeji said.

Oladeji vowed that the unit was working on credible intelligence to get the importers of these contrabands.

“These seizures were unique because it was a breach of security, no end-user-certificate.

“Because you get the certificate before you can bring your cargo and if you bring it after importation we will arrest you,” he said.

Oladeji said the unit also intercepted kilograms of cannabis sativa and expired drugs within the period under review.

“Our dedicated officers also intercepted 989kg of cannabis sativa and 5,229 cartons of expired drugs,”

According to him, some of the interceptions took place at various times and locations within states in the South-West.

“Other items seized include, 343,750 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 7,150 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 32 units of used vehicles, 120 bags of sugar, 3,560 cartons of poultry products,” the Oladeji said.

He stated that four suspects were arrested in connection with the various offenses, “including violating import/export guidelines, concealment, wrong classification, smuggling, and contravening policy directives,”

He disclosed that the cumulative duty paid value of the various intercepted goods amounts to N3.6bn.

Oladeji said the unit also recovered the sum of N62m as revenue for June 2024 through documentary checks and the issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have paid lesser amounts than the appropriate duties.

He urged Nigerians to provide the service with useful and timely information that would lead to the arrest of illegal importation of military wares, illicit drugs, and counterfeit goods.

“Importers and licensed agents are also urged to make sincere declarations, adhere to existing import and export guidelines, and avoid the risk of losing their goods,” he said.