The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday said it intercepted four containers of imported Cigarettes falsely declared as Millets.
The containers 2 x 40ft and 2 x20ft containers of Cigarettes which has neither manufacturing nor expired dates is called Panda from China.
While the agent claimed the consignments were to be the first shipment of such product to Nigeria, it was also discovered that neither the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) nor National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was aware of this import.
Conducting journalists round the intercepted containers, the Customs Area Controller of the command; Comptroller Willy Egbudin narrated how the importer and his agent manipulated the Bill of Lading to beat customs process.
Egbudin said while the manifest reads millets; the declaration was cigarette.
With this mix up, the customs boss said he began to suspect the consignment and asked for alert to be placed on them.
Sensing danger, the agent according to the customs boss went to the shipping company; Comets Shipping to doctor the document with new consignee; new product but with same Pre -Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).
The new manifest also changed the consignee’s name from Oriental International Transport Ltd. to Pullover Nigeria Limited and from cigarette to millet as the the product.
Cigarette is 10% Duty, 60% levy and 5% VAT while millet is 5% duty.
According to the customs boss, “Apart from the danger the unregistered product could have caused to consumers, the government could have also lost N196, 030, 800 if this product had hit the market”.
Egbudin warned all importers to desist from false declarations as the customs would not hesitate to prosecute all offenders and seize such goods as directed by the Comptroller General of the Service.
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