Customs Seize 20 Containers Of Expired Tomato Paste

The Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it has seized 20 containers (20-foot each) of expired tomato paste.

Addressing journalists at PTML on Friday, acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said that the containers were coming from Spain.

He said each of the containers contained 80 drums of expired tomato paste.

Adeniyi added that the contrabands which were seized in August had a duty paid value of N116m.

“On August 8, our officers on routine check our vigilante officers at PTML uncovered a cache of expired tomato concentrate deemed unfit for human consumption. The audacity of the smugglers to attempt to introduce this hazardous product into the Nigerian market is both shocking and disheartening,” he said.

The customs boss said the seized expired tomato paste was falsely declared as almond shells.

“In each container, 80 drums were meticulously arranged, amounting to a total of 1,600 drums. For now, all these containers have officially been recorded as seized,” Adeniyi explained.

He said that a suspect, Mr Okonkwo Izunna, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

He, however, added that though the suspect was currently on administrative bail, he was still under investigation.

The CGC warned smugglers to desist from the act.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs Service has said that there is an overwhelming reliance on importation.

The acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said this on Friday while addressing some protesting agents at the Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited Terminal, at Tincan Island, Lagos.

He urged the agents to pay more attention to encourage export adding that it is the only way of bringing dollars to the economy.

Customs brokers under the aegis of the Association Concerned Freight Forwarders, on Thursday, commenced moves against the recent increment in the payment of import duties, a development which they said would further trigger inflation in the economy.

Reacting to this, Adeniyi urged the protesting agents to channel the type of energy they put on imports to exports.

Adeniyi said he was not aware of an increase in customs duty, stressing that there had not been any increase in the service’s tariff lines.

He blamed the change in exchange rate as the reason for that increment in duty.

Punch