In continuation of its anti-smuggling war, the Joint Border Patrol Team, North Central Zone, Sector 3 Ilorin, Kwara State, in a single catch in one night, seized 13 Pick-Up Vans Convoy, which it said were carefully, technically and locally fabricated for the purpose of smuggling activities.
Speaking on Tuesday at a press conference where the vehicles and their smuggled goods were displayed at the zonal headquarters in Ilorin, Coordinator of the Joint Border Patrol Team, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters, said the vehicles were conveying a total of 1,040 bags of 50kg of foreign par boiled rice with duty Paid Value of N1, 448,000.
He noted that the Joint Border Patrol Team has recorded not less than forty-three seizures in the last eighteen days acroos North Central States.
Peters said, apart from the intercepted rice, the operatives of the unit, also seized 23 units of used vehicles, one locally made gun, a pistol and 8 cartridges, 9 drums of AGO, 242 Jerri cans of PMS, 7 motorcycles and 7 jerri cans of 25 litres of groundnut oil amounting to over sixty-one thousand dollars.
He added that five suspects were apprehended in connection with the locally made pistol and cartridges, stating that the are illegal immigrants and they have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Immigration Service on 25th of March.
“The fight against smuggling activities in the North Central axis will continue to receive a sustained momentum that will lead to more seizures and enforcement of Federal Government policies/directives towards curtailing smuggling activities. I therefore stress the need for all illicit traders to desist from all illegal trades and try to engage in legitimate businesses,” Compt Peters said.
“Border Closure is not meant to witch hunt members of any community or individual but aimed at encouraging local farmers; control the inflow of arms and ammunition, illegal Immigrant, stop illicit drugs and all other prohibited goods in and out of the country and improve economy”.
Speaking after, the joint coordinator noted that the eagles eyes of the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) and superior intelligence sharing/utilizations will continue to cause unrepentant Smugglers nightmares.
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