Smugglers are out to kill local poultry industries — Customs

Smugglers who often bring in poultry products illegally despite restriction on such items are out to kill local industries producing similar goods within the country," said Oteri Richard, Customs Area Controller Oyo/Osun Command of Nigeria Customs Service. He made this observation during the destruction of 16,480 cartons of frozen products with a market value of over N105.3million, at a dump site in Ibadan.
"I am using this opportunity to warn Nigerians that consumption of imported frozen poultry products is injurious to health as hazardous chemicals are used in preservation of those items, even as this illicit trade destroys our local economy. Genuine importers and exports within the Command should come for the support of the Service in facilitating legitimate trade to enhance economic growth and development, "he said.
He explained that the goods destroyed were intercepted at separate operations within the Command. The first was seizure of 300 cartons of frozen products with a duty paid value of N1.8million, intercepted along Lagos/Ife expressway, which were destroyed along with 400 bags of rice, granted approval from the Service headquarters in Abuja. The second operation was interception of 16,180 cartons of frozen poultry products with duty paid value of N103.5million, at Orile Ilugun in Ido area of the Command.
"Smuggling poultry products that are also produced here by local farmers are not good for our economy. We are warning smugglers to desist from illegality and allow sanity in our economic environment, because we would not hesitate to enforce the law accordingly.