NCS raises alarm on health implications of smuggled second -hand clothes through Kebbi borders

From Samaila Bayo, Birnin kebbi

Kebbi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has raised alarm over increase in smuggled second hand clothes through Kebbi borders.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Joseph Attah said the smugglers are cashing in on the demand for thick clothes such as cardigans in this harmattan season to smuggle the used clothes into the country without minding the health implications to the users. 

He said "We don’t know where the items came from neither do we know the last users of the clothes, their health status and so on". 

Attah said it is the responsibility of NCS to ensure that no item that could negatively affect people is allowed into the country. "Our officers are ever ready to scuttle the smugglers’ activities as the command is well equipped with all the necessary logistics to strike at any time.

“For the avoidance of doubt, second hand clothing falls under Schedule 4 of the Common External Tariff (CET) 2022-2026, importation of which is absolutely prohibited on health ground. Its smuggling contravenes Section 46 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C. 45 LFN, 2004 (as amended)", he said.

He stated that as patrol was intensified across Kebbi State borders the command seized smuggled assorted items consisting of 303 bales and 94 sacks of second hand clothing,  one unit of used MBW vehicle, 2,375 liters of PMS loaded in jerricans and 58 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50KG each with a duty paid value of forty six million, seven hundred and six thousand, and seven hundred and ninety five naira (N46,706,795.00)".

A release by SC Nasiru Manga for Customs Area Controller, Kebbi Area Command also said the command has generated one hundred and twenty seven million naira as revenue in the month of November, this year.