Customs decry rash of smuggled exotic vehicles

Some exotic vehicles are smuggled into the country illegally daily, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, has lamented. The command’s Public Relation Officer, Ifeoma Onuigbo, said that 39 vehicles were impounded last month along the Benin Asaba Expressway and other Eastern axis. Already, the service said that 30 smugglers had been arrested in connection with N197,385,747 contraband in July, 2015.

The suspects were arrested along the Benin/Asaba Express Way, Owerri/Port Harcourt Road and Enugu axis respectively. She said that a total of 48 seizures were made during the period. The PRO said that 20 cases were now pending in court in respect of the seizures. The command’s Area Controller Comptroller Dimka, said that an under-payment of N24,246,213 was recovered from the 48 seizures recorded in the period.

He listed the seizures to include 69 bales of second hand clothing, 39 vehicles, 139 pieces of used tyres, 244 pairs of used foot wears and 60 bags of 50-kilogramme rice. Dimka stressed that the NCS would not succumb to senseless and irrational pleadings for leniency and pardon by individuals caught in the act of smuggling, which would amount to compromising the statutory responsibilities of the establishment. He said: “There is increased number of exotic vehicles seized by the unit on daily basis.

Members of the public who wish to purchase vehicles should ensure that they go through the official channels and to always verify from the Customs before investing their money.” The Area Controller decried the surge of smuggling in the country despite stiff penalties for culprits.

He bemoaned the harm being inflicted on the nation’s economy by smugglers, their sponsors and collaborators. Dimka noted that the NCS was better equipped, trained and motivated to tackle the scourge of smuggling with dexterity and pragmatism.

Meanwhile, between January and June this year NSC in the zone recorded 226 seizures of contraband items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1, 016,833,292. The command also arrested 129 suspects in connection with the smuggling of various goods between January and June this year. Already, 118 cases are still pending in various courts in the zone.

Dimka listed the contraband as including: Vehicles, 990 bales of textiles and second hand clothing, 126 packages of furniture and 296 bales of fairly used bags and suitcases worth N456,704,500; N101,805,700; N19,584,000; and N30,143,400 respectively.

The list also included 3,905 pieces of used tyres amounting to N53,502,100; some 2,126 cartons of imported frozen poultry products worth N30,566,804; some 1,731 bags of 50 kilogrames rice with value put at N35,678,600; besides beverages and juice worth N72,000. There was also an additional 2,686 pieces of used footwear estimated at N6,253,800; some 37 cartons of foreign soap/detergents; 202 cartons of foreign vegetable oil amounting to N6,874,020; aside from other goods, which included electrical and electronics parts with used fridges and compressors and machinery, specially used for concealing the items, worth N303,391,772.