5 October 2024

Customs intercepts lion bones, pangolin scales worth N952 million heading to Vietnam

0

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, Lagos, has seized lion bones and pangolin scales worth N952 million.

The Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Mohammed Abba-Kura, disclosed that the items were billed for export to Vietnam when they were intercepted.

Speaking during a press briefing yesterday, Abba-Kura said the contrabands were in a 20-feet container with number CSLU 2362640, heading to Haiphong, Vietnam.

He said the items, comprising 162 sacks of pangolin scales weighing 8,800kgs and 57 sacks of mixed endangered species of various sizes such as ivory/animal horns, lion bones and others were falsely declared as furniture components.

He added that the total weight of the items stood at 854,719 tonnes, valued at N952 million.

He said that an agent had been arrested and detained after an unnamed lady was picked by operatives.

The comptroller said that after due investigation, the customs service headquarters would take appropriate against the suspects, saying: ‘’The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES 1973) entails that Customs Administration all over the world protect wildlife by intercepting illegal trade on such animals.


Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

×

Hello!

Click one of our contacts below to chat on WhatsApp

× WhatsApp Us