Custom impounds N137.8 million imported vehicles

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C Owerri has impounded a number of illegally imported exotic cars into the country valued at N137.8 million.

The cars which were confiscated by Custom Service on the Benin mobile patrol axis, include a 2014 model Nissan Almera with a DPV of N4.8million, a Mercedes Benz Jeep which had a value of N40million, two Toyota land cruiser Prado Jeeps with a DPV of N28 million as well as a 2016 model Range Rover sports Jeep also with a DPV of N25 million.

The federal government revenue agent equally seized 1,566 bags of 50kg foreign rice.

The Unit Area comptroller, Alhaji Bukar Amajam, who disclosed this to newsmen at the premises of the NCS in Benin city, Edo state where he displayed the exhibits said that the vehicles were seized because of non possession and non presentation of relevant documents and evasion of payment of customs duty by their owners.

Alhaji Amajam explained that the federal government had banned the importation of vehicles through the nation’s land borders while those who find their way into the country through the seaports are detained for a period of 30 days for thorough investigation.

“But after 30 days of detention of such vehicles and without the presentation of official documents by their owners, such vehicles are forfeited to the Federal government without further formality”,

The customs unit area comptroller who frowned at the rampant cases of smuggling of contraband goods into the country despite stiff penalties against culprits and warned those who are still trapped in the illicit business to desist from such practices.
According to him, the NCS is now better equipped, trained and motivated to dislodge smugglers wherever they hibernate to operate their nefarious business.

He lamented that the federal government had continued to lose large revenue as a result of the unpatriotic activities of smugglers, their agents and collaborators but warned that the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) would not relent in its efforts to checkmate it.

“We are not interested to witch-hunt or to make things difficult for anybody. But what we are saying is that Nigerians should be patriotic enough and obey what the law says.
“Once you are into genuine business, you should not have anything to fear or to worry about but we must insist on relevant document to make sure that the federal government does not lost any revenue from the business you are doing.
“We must keep on seizing and detaining as the situation warrants until you produce all relevant documents.”