Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service with headquarters in Lagos has detained 21 exotic vehicles valued at Four Hundred and Eighty-Four Million, Four Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight Naira, Ninety-Two Kobo (N484, 458, 778. 92) between the 13th of June, 2018 to 24th of July, 2018.
The Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba who made this known while conducting journalists round the seizures at the Unit’s headquarters on Wednesday in Lagos gave the breakdown of the vehicles to include; 1 Mercedes Benz G-500 (2016), 6 Toyota Hiace Bus (2018), 3 Lexus jeep GX460 and LX570 (2017), 1 Toyota Hilux (2017) and 1 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (2016).
Others are 1 Toyota Hilux Bullet Proof (2014), 1 Toyota Corolla (2018), 2 Toyota Camry (2016), 1 Honda Civic (2016), 1 Honda Accord (2016), 1 Dodge Charger (2016) among others.
The Controller disclosed that while some of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu-Ode Expressway, 10 of the vehicles were evacuated from Oluwalogbon Motors at 164 Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos based on credible information.
“As I speak to you, nobody has come to claim ownership. Let me use this opportunity to 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 then laws of the land. For the avoidance of doubt, our action is in line with the provisions of section 147 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP 45. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (power to search premises) and section 158 of CEMA, CAP 45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (power to patrol freely)”, he said.
He further noted that among the seizures was the interception of an Iveco truck with registration number LAM 283 LG along Ijebu-Ode –Ore road carrying 498 cartons of Codeine Cough Syrup 100ml with each carton containing 200 bottles even as he recalled that the federal government banned importation of cough syrup that contained Codeine.
According to him, “The substance is valued at One Hundred and Ninety-Nine Million, two Hundred Thousand Naira (N199, 200, 000.00) with two suspects in our custody. The drugs and the suspects will be handed over to NAFDAC for further investigation and possible prosecution in a court of competent jurisdiction. The fight against drug abuse and illicit drugs is a collective effort and if all hands are on deck, we will make our nation a drug free society”.
The CAC also informed that two containers were seized during the period under review saying that while 1x40ft container no PCIU922650/8 was seized for carrying 525 bales of second hand clothing as against used motorcycles declared in SGD, the other 1x40ft container no PCIU871664/5 was seized for carrying 11 jumbo bales of jeans, 365 cartons of new slippers, 145 cartons of new bags as against adhesive dressing.
“This is a clear case of false declaration which is tantamount to seizure. We are still investigating this and anyone found culpable will face the full wrath of the law”, he added.
He went on to note that the unit within the period under review intercepted various contraband with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Billion, One Hundred and Twenty Million, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Twelve Kobo (N1, 120, 714, 338. 12) following heightened anti-smuggling operation.
He continued,” The seized items include: 21 exotic vehicles, 9,504 bags of foreign parboiled rice (15 trailers), 436 jerrycans of Vegetable Oil, 333 cartons of frozen poultry products, 287 bales of used clothing, 198 pieces of used tyres among others. Just as I told you in our last meeting, it’s our obligation to support the federal government’s policy on rice, encourage local rice farmers, the millers and patronize our own nutritional rice which by significance will create employment opportunities for our unemployed teaming youths.
“Within the period under review, we also recovered Sixty-Seven Million, Three Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy Naira, Five Kobo (N67, 375, 670. 5) making a cumulative of One Billion, One Hundred and Eighty-Eight Million, Ninety Thousand, Nine Naira (N1, 188, 090, 009). Ten (10) suspects have been arrested in connection with these 143 seizures”.
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