The Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) says it has intercepted 940 rounds of live ammunition, during its special anti-smuggling operation along the border line on Thursday.
The Comptroller of the command, Ahmadu Shuaibu, said this on Friday, during a press conference, where seized contrabands with the duty paid value of N557,120,828 were paraded before pressmen.
Shuaibu noted that his officers had been on the trail of the ammunition for more than two weeks, from the neighbouring Republic of Benin, before it was eventually smuggled into Nigeria.
The customs boss further revealed that the smugglers had concealed the bullets inside cassava flakes (gari) sacks with the intent to deceive and beat border securities.
He also said during the operation, the suspects all abandoned the contraband and escaped through the bush path.
He said, “While on anti-smuggling operation along the border line, the Command operatives intercepted smuggled 940 rounds of live ammunition ingeniously concealed in sacks of cassava flakes, commonly known as garri in local parlance.
“The Command had been on its trail for more than 2 weeks, from the Republic of Benin, before it was eventually smuggled into the country.
“During the trail of the cartel, the received intel revealed the level of surveillance mounted and security beef-up by the unscrupulous elements, to safeguard the items and evade arrest. The superior security network of the Command eventually aided the seizure but lost the suspects, as the items were abandoned by the suspected smugglers who absconded in a bid to evade arrest.”
He, however, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, to join forces with the Command in its fight against smuggling of harmful substances, light weapons, arms and ammunition.
The comptroller enumerated other seizures as, “123 sacks and 3,172 parcels of cannabis sativa, commonly known as Indian Hemp; 380 pieces of donkey skin; 304 bales of used clothes; and 910 cartons of frozen poultry products, among others.”
According to Shuaibu, these items were intercepted at the creeks, border lines and other strategic locations across the State.