The anti-smuggling unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, the Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, has recovered about N220 billion being debt notes issued to importers and their agents who under-declared their consignments.
It further impounded 22 exotic vehicles and other contraband items with Duty Paid Value, DPV, of N2.017 billion in one month.
Stating this in Lagos, Aliyu Mohammed, Customs Area Controller, CAC, said apart from the 22 exotic vehicles which include nine bullet proof cars, other seized items were11, 303 bags of rice (19 trailer loads), 2,410 frozen poultry products and 853 Jerry can of vegetable oil.
Mohammed gave others items impounded by the unit during the period under review to include 245 parcels of Indian Hemp, 4×40 foot containers of unprocessed wood, 2,017 bales of used clothing and 283 cartoons of various pharmaceuticals products imported without registration by the National Agency for Food , and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC.
The Customs boss also said that the unit recovered about N220 billion from Debt Notes, ND, issued to importers and their agents who under declared their consignments, transfer their value or short-changed the government in payment of their duty.
He said such goods were imported into the country from the seaports, airport and border station.
Among the seized vehicles, according to the Customs boss, are nine bullet proof cars, including four Lexus Jeep LX570, 2016; three Land Cruiser Jeeps, 2016; two Mercedes Benz G63 and S550, 2014/2015; one Toyota Rav4, 2014; and three Toyota Hilux, 2018.
“Others are two Toyota Highlander, 2018; one Toyota Prado, 2018; one Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016; one Toyota Corolla; one Toyota Fortuner, 2017, among others.
“These 22 exotic vehicles alone have a DPV of N1.179 billion. While some of the vehicles were intercepted at Ogere and Ijebu Ode expressway, the bullet proof vehicles were trailed and evacuated from some private residence on Victoria Island based on credible information,” he noted.
He stated further that in the spirit of anti-agency collaboration, the seized Indian Hemp and the medicament will be handed over to the Nationa
l Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and NAFDAC for thorough investigation.
Mohammed also stated that 28 suspects had been arrested in connection with the 89 seizures made during the period under review.
