Customs Intercept Bulletproof Cars, Contraband Worth N2.2bn
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, said that it intercepted bulletproof cars and contraband worth N2.2bn between September 4 and October 3.
The Controller, FOU, Mohammed Aliyu, stated this in Lagos on Thursday.
Among the seized items were 22 exotic cars; 11,303 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 2,410 frozen poultry products; 853 cans of vegetable oil; 245 parcels of Indian hemp; 4×40-foot containers of unprocessed wood; 2,017 bales of used clothing and 283 cartons of various pharmaceuticals without the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control registration numbers.
Aliyu said the unit also recovered N220m from demand notices on goods that tried to beat the system at the seaports, airports and land borders, thereby bringing the cumulative amount to N2.24bn.
He explained that the 22 seized vehicles were valued at above N1.2bn.
He stated, “While some of the vehicles were intercepted at Ogere and Ijebu Ode expressway, the bulletproof vehicles were trailed and evacuated from some private residence in Victoria Island, based on credible information.
“Also, the unit, through our interventions, recovered N220m from demand notices on vehicles and other general goods that tried to cut corners from the seaports, airports and border stations under the guise of false declaration, transfer of value, and short-change in duty payment that are meant for the Federal Government, thereby making a cumulative of N2.34bn.
“In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration, the seized Indian hemp and medicament will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for thorough investigation.”
According to him, 28 suspects have been arrested in connection with the 89 seizures.
He added, “Let me advise those economic saboteurs who see the Yuletide season as a peak period for their nefarious acts to desist from such illegal business as the unit has devised other tactical strategies that will chase them out of such illegalities.
“I wish to use this opportunity to thank the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (retd), and his management team of the NCS for providing necessary incentives and logistics that brought about this feat.”
