Customs Intercept 20 Containers Of Expired Tomatoes In Lagos

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCoS) have intercepted 1,600 drums of expired tomato concentrate concealed in 20 containers.

The illegal cargo was seized at the Port and Terminal Multi Services Limited (PTML) in Lagos with one suspect arrested.

According to the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the said cargo is alleged to be belonging to a company identified as Nikecristy Investment Limited.

Speaking at the Port and Terminal Multi Services Limited (PTML), Adeniyi conducted journalists round the seizure.

“On the 8th of August, 2023, during a routine examination, our vigilant officers at PTML uncovered each of the 20 containers laden with 80 drums were falsely declared as an almond shell to be a cache of expired tomato concentrate, deemed unsafe for human consumption,” he stated.

He stated that the containers that were imported from Spain have a duty-paid value (DPV) of over N116.2 million.

“The audacity of the smugglers to attempt to introduce this hazardous product into the Nigerian market is both shocking and disheartening.

“As of now, all these containers remain in our custody, officially recorded as seizures. We have apprehended one suspect, Mr. Okonkwo Oliver Izunna, who is currently under administrative bail but remains under investigation,” he said.

The container numbers involved in this illicit importation are as follows: ACLU 2790243, GCNU 1275582, GCNU 1303278, GCNU 1336137, GCNU 1361905, GCNU 1316824, GCNU 1323314, GCNU 1324727, GCNU 1326210, SEGU 3388813, ACLU 2800629, GCLU 13218553, GCNU 1340991, GCNU 1353290, GCNU 1340991, GCNU 1353290, GCNU 1302570, GCNU 1308140, SEGU 3333426, and SEGU 3338351.