A consignment of imported poultry products estimated at millions of naira smuggled into the country was set ablaze at the weekend in Ibadan by the Compliance Team of the Controller General of Customs (CGC).
The said 250 cartons of imported poultry items smuggled into the country, according to the representative of CGC Compliance Team, Mr. Chukunalo Okolo, was intercepted along the Ibadan-Ife Expressway.
Speaking at the weekend during the destruction, Okolo said the items worth millions of naira, were conceived in 500 cartons of fish before it was intercepted.
“On March 13, 2017 around 11.35a.m. while on surveillance along the Ife-Ibadan Expressway, we intercepted this truck that was behind us and by the time we took it to the station on examination, we found out that 500 cartons of fish was used to conceive 250 cartons of imported poultry products.
He said the destruction was in line with the existing law banning importation of poultry items into the country.
“An you know, poultry products is a prohibited item and that is why we are here and that is why we are destroying the items.
“This is a message from the service through the controller via the CGC Compliance Team from Western axis that we are here for people who refuse to comply with the extant law of the country. And this is just the beginning, we are going out for them and so shall it be until they decide to be good citizens of this country.”
He said a middle-aged man whose identity has not been revealed was arrested in connection with the crime.
“There was arrest, it is just one person. I don’t have the identity now as at now, a man was arrested. We will make the identity of the man known to you at the appropriate time,” he added.
