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A Mercedes truck loaded with 1,300 cartons of imported frozen poultry products worth N12million was on Wednesday intercepted on Benin-Ore Expressway.
Officers of the Customs Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ Owerri made the bust 48 hours to Christmas when a lot of chicken and other poultry products will be consumed.
The products were concealed with Polymers Vinyl Chloride (PVC) sheets and ceramic bath tubs.
Speaking in respect of seizure- development on the Owerri axis, the FOU Boss, Comptroller David Dinka who had earlier promised a bleak Christmas for illicit traders in the area, revealed a total 31 seizures which included 21 vehicles between 1st December to date with DPV of N118,190,217, with 23 arrests made ,out of which 22 cases are now pending in different courts within the Zone ‘C’ axis.
Maritime First quoted him as saying: “We will continue to make this Zone very very hot and uncomfortable for smugglers to remain in business and we are not mincing words about this”.
He pointed out that the one suspect arrested in connection with the smuggling of the imported frozen poultry product was presently undergoing interrogation for further prosecution in court.
The destruction of the seized imported frozen poultry products was later carried out in the premises of Customs House Benin, and was witnessed by the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp, Department of State Security, NAFDAC, and the press.