The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has apprehended a petrol tanker transporting illegal rice.
The NCS Adamawa/Taraba Zonal Command said at its headquarters in Yola on Thursday that the seized tanker had 358 50kg bags of rice piled up in its belly while being transported to a destination.
Comptroller Olaniyi Alajogun, the NCS Area Controller for the Adamawa/Taraba Command, told reporters that intelligence information led to the discovery and interception of the alleged rice-carrying fuel tanker.
“Using a petrol tanker to transport rice is a deceptive method that fraudsters are now using,” said the zonal controller.
“From all indications, the tanker was never used to transport gasoline,” he added. Even after removing the rice, there was no indication that the bags had been hidden in a tanker. I believe they are now building tankers specifically to smuggle rice.
“So, it’s not every vehicle designed as a fuel tanker that carries fuel. This particular tanker (the seized one), I don’t think it ever carried fuel.”
Other contraband items displayed on Thursday as seized by the Zonal Command from August this year when Olaniyi Alajogun assumed control of the Adamawa/Taraba zone, include 531 50kg urea fertiliser, and 29,385 litres of petroleum products which comprise petrol and diesel.
The others include 2,600 litres of foreign engine oil, 168 bales and 23 sacks of used clothing, six used vehicles, 75 cartons of foreign soap, and 165kg of pangolin scales.
According to the Customs Zonal controller, the total duty paid value of the seized items is N144, 627, 737.
He explained that due to the inflammable nature of the petroleum products, they were sold and the proceeds, N12.5 million, deposited in the federation account as revenue contribution of the NCS.
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