Customs Nabs Two Chinese At Lagos Airport For Smuggling Elephant Tusks, Pangolin

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Command at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, has nabbed two Chinese nationals for allegedly attempting to smuggle 678 pieces of Elephant tusks and eight sacks of Pangolin weighing over 381 kilogrammes.
These items according to Customs are prohibited on the export list.
The agency hinted that attempt by the Chinese nationals contravenes Schedule 6 of the Nigerian Exports Prohibition List, which prescribes as illegal any attempt to export wild animals and endangered species.

The Customs Area Comptroller of Lagos Airport Command, Frank Nduka Allannah confirmed the arrest, adding that the suspects have been remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Customs at the Lagos Airport pending further investigation.
He listed the items impounded by the Command to include: scales of Pangolin; the most trafficked endangered animal that eats it own flesh and that it was meant for export where it would have been used for Chinese medicine.
Allannah stated that the impounded items would be handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
The Lagos Airport Comptroller hinted that the eagled-eyed Customs officials at the Export Shed of the airport intercepted the prohibited items while they were being taken out of the country by the Chinese, who claimed ownership of the items.
He said that upon physical examination of prohibited item, the Chinese were subsequently arrested and were still in custody of the agency.
Elephant tusks, stated were in two compartments of 387 unprocessed pieces, while 271 had been processed into combs and hand bangles.
On the monetary value of the items, the Customs boss did not give the street value of the prohibited items, but he however said that Customs personnel in the relevant units were already carrying out the monetary assessment to ascertain the value.
On Customs next move, he said, “We do not intend to give the names of the Chinese nationals yet. They have been arrested and are in Customs custody. They will be handed over to the relevant security agencies.”
He continued, ‘” The prohibited items will be handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency for further action on the prohibited item.”

Abel News