The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has arrested a truck conveying 340 bales of clothing materials worth N17 million in Sokoto, an official has said.
Mr Nasir Ahmad, NCS Controller in-charge of Kebbi/Sokoto/Zamfara Command, made the development known to newsmen in Sokoto on Friday.
He said the seized items were among the list of contraband by the Federal Government.
Ahmad said the seizure was made on Nov. 13 along Sokoto-Illela road.
While displaying the seized items and the truck, he said that the suspects abandoned the truck when they sighted the NCS patrol team.
Ahmad said “ the seized contraband has duty paid value of N17 million.”
He said the “smuggled items are dangerous to health.’’
He also said that the command handed over 52.2kg of Indian-hemp it intercepted along Illela-Sokoto road to officials of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Ahmad said the items were subjected to verification by relevant statutory regulatory bodies and decried the huge revenue loss to Nigeria because of porous borders.
He said although no arrests had been made in connection with the seizures, the command was determined to check the activities of smugglers.
Ahmad called on Nigerians, especially those residing in border communities, to assist security agencies with information on the activities of smugglers and other criminals.