Nigeria Customs Service Seizes $296 Million Worth of Timber in Major Smuggling Interception
Lagos, Nigeria – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has made a significant interception at the Lilypond Export Command, seizing 11 twenty-foot containers filled with timber and unprocessed wood that were allegedly bound for illegal export. The total value of the intercepted goods is estimated at an impressive $296 million.
Customs Area Controller Jibola Odusanya provided details of the seizure during a press briefing held at the command on Wednesday. He explained that the containers were intercepted at the barge area of Apapa Port in Lagos based on credible intelligence.
The registration numbers of the seized containers are TRLU9354677, MRKU9991028, MSKUS051480, MRKU7071648, TCLU2179830, MSKUS894593, MSKU3929849, GAOU2550990, MSKU7323470, and MSKUS953248.
Following the discharge of several export-bound containers on October 11, 2024, officers from the Lilypond Export Command joined forces with the Customs Intelligence Unit to conduct an operation that led to the interception and detention of these containers, which were suspected of being used for smuggling.
Odusanya stated, “A total of 11 units of twenty-foot containers completely loaded with rough and sawn timber have been seized. This consignment is valued at an approximate market price of $296 million.”
On November 1, 2024, the command scheduled the suspected containers for a comprehensive physical examination, revealing that they contained raw and processed timber. This was found to violate Schedule 6 of the Common External Tariff.
Furthermore, Odusanya referred to the provisions found in Sections 148, 149, and 150 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act of 2023, indicating that the detained containers have been officially classified as seizures.
He stressed that the NCS’s actions aim to deter any individuals or exporters contemplating smuggling restricted items out of Nigeria. “We are committed to ensuring compliance over trade facilitation, and we will consistently prevent the export of consignments that violate our national laws,” Odusanya asserted.
This latest seizure reflects the Comptroller-General’s firm stance against smuggling, reiterating a zero-tolerance approach, particularly in the realm of exportation.
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