The zonal controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’ Owerri, Imo State, Mr. Olusemire Kayode, weekend said his men have impounded 12 exotic vehicles, three trucks of imported rice and other items with Duty Paid Value, DPV of over N240 mil lion within the first week of November this year.
Speaking to newsmen, Mr. Olusemire, also informed that that 131 sacks of Cannabis Sativa with a duty paid value of N4.1million was recovered by the Customs officials along Benin-Ore Expressway. He said four persons were arrested in connection with the smuggling activities.
The customs controller listed the items impounded during the period to include, three Mercedes Benz (2014, 2012 and 2008 models), one Range Rover HSE (2013), Toyota Venza (2013) one Toyota Camry LE (2010), one Toyota Hilux (2015), one Toyota Highlander (2016), one Volvo xl90(2007), one Toyota Tacoma (2017), one Toyota Tundra (2007) and one Dodge Ram (2016).
He also said that 1,233 bags of foreign rice concealed with cartons of ‘33’ beer and Lucozade Boost drinks in different trucks and 131 sacks of Indian Hemp loaded in Peugeot truck used in conveying tomatoes were also seized during the period. Olusemire, who said the vehicles would be forfeited to the federal government, lamented that the smugglers were losing daily as a result of not doing the right thing.
“Look at these cars that people went to Germany or USA to buy. They know they should go to the Customs to pay duty on them. Importation of cars is not banned by the government, but if you are bringing them into the country you must pay duties to government so that the government will use same to work for its citizens. “It is pure economic sabotage for someone to buy an exotic car like this, worth over N20 million and refuse to pay import duty to the federal government.
These goods will be forfeited to the federal government”, he said. The Customs boss decried the extent smugglers go to evade arrests, saying they were now concealing bags of foreign rice with cement, cartons of bear and other genuine products like Lucozade Boost.
