The Murtala Muhammed Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized items believed to be dried shark fins and dried donkey genitals valued at N1.22 billion at the Lagos airport.
During a news conference on August 17, 2023, Comptroller Muhammed Yusuf, the Area Controller of the command, revealed that this achievement was a result of coordinated anti-smuggling efforts involving various stakeholders. In the period of January to July, Yusuf shared that one suspect each was apprehended for the confiscated goods, with investigations ongoing.
The individual related to the shark fins was a Nigerian, and the intended destination was China, while the donkey genitals were linked to a Chinese national heading to Hong Kong. The seized items encompassed six packages of suspected dried shark fins with a Free on Board (FOB) value of N221.9 million, and 25 packages of donkey genitals with an FOB value of N1.01 billion, collectively amounting to N1.23 billion.
These seizures were prompted by violations of export guidelines and non-compliance with CITES regulations concerning endangered species, as stipulated in the Nigeria Customs Service Act. This interception marked the first occurrence of such an incident for the command, and it took place at the exit point following proper documentation procedures.
The shark fins were declared as such, whereas the donkey genitals were inaccurately declared as animal cow genitals. Yusuf announced that the items would be transferred to a customs unit for further investigation, aimed at uncovering more details.
Reflecting on the performance from January to July, Yusuf highlighted that the command achieved a revenue generation of N47.25 billion, which represented 83.24 percent of the target. In comparison to the same period in 2022, where N40.335 billion was generated, there was a noteworthy increase of N6.914 billion, accounting for a 17.14 percent rise.
Yusuf expressed his gratitude to the officers and personnel of the command for their dedication and adherence to their duties. He also extended appreciation to Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, the acting Controller General of Customs, and his management team, for their continuous support and encouragement.
Yusuf acknowledged the collaboration of critical stakeholders and sister agencies in their joint efforts to combat smuggling and uphold regulations.
