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Customs : Why We Can’t Move into the Ports

By on April 26, 2011

The anti-smuggling unit of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said  it will not like to move into the ports as part of the examination exercise to check  smuggling    or other  trade malpractices involving  importers and  customs agents.

Freight forwarders  had  in reaction to cases of  interception of containers by  officers and men of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU)  some meters away  after the goods had been cleared at the ports  said that the best was for the anti-smuggling unit of the customs to   be involved in goods examination inside the ports.

The customs agents believe that the  FOU will have no excuse to impound or intercept any container     that had earlier been cleared at the port since they were part of the exercise.

But  the Comptroller, FOU, Ikeja, Mr  Victor Dimka, told THISDAY  that    the suggestion that  his  squad should be part of the examination at the port was not  part of its  functions.

Besides, he said that as far as he is concerned , the Customs Service   has capable hands   inside the seaports  or border stations, adding that   the anti-smuggling  squad  only acts on information any time it  stops any container.

Dimka also  said that  contrary to what people have been saying, it does not mount road block to stop containers or goods leaving the ports, but acts  based on information.

He  said that what  his officers  do is to patrol along the  roads from time to time, adding  that  the Unit was all out to counter all the    strategies  being perfected by  some importers and agents to  commit  crime.

He also  maintained that importers and agents who have skeleton in their  cupboards were the  ones that are kicking against  the activities of  the FOU.

According to him, no  importer or agent who has done the right thing should be afraid of  being checked.

He  said that the FOU has been facing a lot of blackmail because it has always aimed at uncovering the  nefarious activities of some importers.

“We are making progress in the war against smuggling. But if  you are doing this kind of job, you must face blackmail. Blackmail is there  and is being sustained, but we don’t mind what they say”, he said.

He called on well meaning Nigerians to join the war against smuggling, adding  that this was the only way of protecting the  nation’s economy.

Source : Thisday