The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, has impounded 31 vehicles including four Rolls Royce.
Others include one Porche Panamera, one Jaguar, one Bentley, two Lexus Sports Utility Vehicles, One Toyota Land Cruiser, among others.
Speaking at an interactive session with Journalists on Tuesday, Controller of the unit, Comptroller Mohammed Uba, put the duty paid value of the vehicles at One Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty One Naira, Fifty kobo (N1,429,953,941.50).
He explained that some of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway while others were “evacuated at various raid in Parkview estate, VI, Banana Island, Alhaji Bankole Crescent Ikeja and Tola Adewunmi Street Maryland”.
He said: “We urge the owners of these vehicles to come forward with valid Customs clearance documents otherwise they will be liable to Seizure and subsequent Forfeiture to the Federal Government in-line with laws of the land.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our action is in-line with the provisions of Sections 147 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (power to search premises), Section 158 of CEMA, Cap 45 Laws of Federation of Nigeria (power to patrol freely)”.
Speaking on other seizures, he said: “After intensifying our operational modalities to meet up with the current smuggling tactics, we have intercepted various contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of One Billion, Six Hundred and Eighteen Million, One Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty One Naira, Fifty Kobo (N1,618,177,661.50) only from 1st – 31st January 2018”.
Other seized items include: “8,400 bags of foreign parboiled rice (that’s about 14 trailers) 1,652 cartons of frozen poultry products, 835 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 10 sacks bag of Indian Hemp, 2,208 pieces of used tyres, 159bales of used clothing among others.
“Just as I told you last year, its our obligation to support the Federal Government policy on Rice, encourage local rice farmers, the millers and patronize our own nutritional rice which by implication will create employment opportunities for our youth.
“Within the period under review, we have also recovered Ninety One Million, Three Hundred and Sixty Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty Six Naira, (N91,366,436.00) making a cumulative of One Billion, Seven Hundred and Nine Million, Five Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Ninety Eight Naira, (N1,709,544,098.00 ).
“In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration; the seized Indian hemp will be handed over to NDLEA after this press briefing for further investigation. Ten (10) suspects have been arrested in connection with these 163 seizures
“Let me seize this opportunity to warn all would be smugglers to desist from any act of illegal trade and invest their money in a legitimate business that will yield dividend on their investments.
