*Dangote Truck used to illustrate the story. [CREDIT: Punch Newspaper]*

The Ogun command of the Nigeria Customs Service says it arrested three persons for smuggling 600 bags of rice to the South-East.

According to the NCS, the suspects transported the products using a truck that belongs to Dangote Cement.

The customs arrested the suspects at the Ijoun border in Ogun on Wednesday.

The NCS Area Comptroller, Peter Kolo, disclosed this during a press briefing on Wednesday at Idiroko.

Mr kolo explained that the smuggling of foreign rice was frustrating the federal government’s efforts in the agricultural sector and policies on local rice production.

“Just a few days ago, another articulated truck bearing the inscription and logo of Dangote Cement Company was intercepted in the Ijoun border area and was loaded with over 600 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice and heading for the eastern part of the country,” Mr Kolo explained.

He added, “Three persons were arrested, including the driver of the vehicle, and investigation is going to unravel those behind the massive smuggling activity.”

According to him, various quantities of poultry products, cannabis, vehicles and other means of conveyance, used clothes and shoes, used tyres, sugar, tomato in retail form, body creams, and petroleum products for export were also seized during the period under review.

“The cumulative duty paid value for the seizures in April amounted to N189,923,293,” the customs area comptroller stated. “The federal government’s directive on border closure is still subsisting. A sum of N225,000 was generated from the auction of seized petroleum products and scrap metals in the month of April.”

The comptroller declared that the Ogun command of the customs would sustain the onslaught on smugglers despite several attacks on customs operatives by smugglers and their promoters.