Customs arrests seven, impounds goods worth N501.6m in three months

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded 16 exotic cars including an Armoured Land Cruiser, about 4,338 bags of foreign rice and fake drugs – all with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N501.6million.

The Zonal Controller, Comptroller Kayode Olusemire, told newsmen on Sunday that the seizure were between June and August this year.

He said that the interception of the contrabands at different points within the Zone was a continuation of the relentless clampdown on smuggling activities by men of the NCS.

The Comptroller said one truck load of unregistered and fake pharmaceutical drugs (Chakarain Xtra Tablet) with a Duty Paid Value of N57million was also intercepted by the Customs officials along the Benin-Ore expressway.

He said that some persons were arrested in connection with importation of the banned items.

Olusemire, gave the list of the seized items as, Bullet Proof Toyota Land Cruiser (2013); Toyota Land Cruiser (2012); Lexus IS 250 (2006); Mercedes Benz MLS (2012 model); four Toyota Venza; three Toyota Hilux (2018, 2017, 2016 models), among others.

Also impounded were 595 bags of foreign rice which were concealed in a truck to beat Customs checkpoints, bales of used clothing and used tyres.

Conducting newsmen round the impounded items, Olisemire, advised Nigerians to desist from wasting their hard earned resources by taking to smuggling as a business venture, adding that smugglers are losing a lot of money as they are being decimated by the NCS.

He further advised those buying cars to patronize reputable car dealers and always insist on sighting the Customs Certificate of cars before buying.

“Look at these cars that people bought from abroad, they should know that they are supposed to pay Customs Duty on the cars but they will rather prefer to cut corners and at the end the cars are impounded…

”One of the problems associated with the foreign rice is that most of them are expired. If you must import foreign rice, you must go through the ports. Why would anyone even go through the ports to bring rice when we have very arable lands all over the country that produce this food in abundance”, he said.

He expressed happiness that Customs’ continuous efforts had reduced smuggling activities to the barest minimum, noting “that is why smugglers are devising very clandestine means of smuggling goods into the country.”