Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has impounded 283 eighteen exotic vehicles, for failing to pay the required Customs duties.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Hammed Ali who briefed the media on the impounded vehicles on Tuesday in Abuja said 18 suspected smuggled vehicles were seized from Kefiano Motors Ltd, a car dealer in Abuja.
He said out of the seized 18 vehicles, the least car was valued at N70m while most expensive vehicle one was estimated at N280m.
According to him, beyond failing to pay the necessary duty, thirteen of them were bullet proof and required the mandatory End-User Certificate, a clearance usually issued by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) before being imported.
“In a period of fragile security, we cannot afford to have unauthorised persons use armoured vehicles. Without end user certificates, possession of these vehicles is illegal,” he stated.
The impounded vehicles include two range rover, one Rolls Royce, four Lexus, three G Wagon, two Prado, one Lincoln Navigator, one infinity, one 4matic, two Toyota Sequoia, One Toyota Camry.
Ali said the vehicles were brought in through the normal route but that outcomes of ongoing investigations so indicate the importer may have connived with some officers of the Customs service to evade customs duty.
He said with the impounded 18 vehicles, the service has now confiscated a total of 283 vehicles within the last two months.
Giving a breakdown of the seizures, Ali said 135 vehicles were seized from Lagos, 93 vehicles from Kaduna, 37 vehicles from Port Harcourt.
“On Saturday 16th September 2017, based on credible information, the detachment of the Compliance Team visited Kefiano motors Ltd in the Central Business Area of Abuja and discovered eighteen (18) suspected smuggled exotic vehicles that were displayed for sales,” Ali stated.
“Beyond the issue of non-payment of customs duty, 13 of these vehicles are bullet proof. These vehicles require clearance from the Office of the National Security Adviser before importation.”
Ali said the seizure was one of the gains of the anti-smuggling operations by the officers and men of his compliance team in the Northern axis.
He said the action of customs is in line with Section 147 and Section 158 of the Customs and Excise Management Act which empowers the agency to search any premises suspected of having smuggled goods without obtaining court warrant.
Asked if the car dealer had been arrested, the Customs boss said investigations are ongoing and that the importer of the vehicles has not been arrested since he claims to possession of the customs papers.
He said the importer has be given adequate time to provide the customs duty paper, and would be arrested and prosecuted if he fails to provide the needed information.
He said, “It is unfortunate that the service zero stands on smuggling continue to expose unwillingness of most Nigerian importers to comply with the law.
“These unpatriotic elements willingly comply with the laws of other countries, but refuse to comply with our national guidelines on imports and exports.
“High profile interceptions such as these are testimonies of the positive effects of the ongoing reforms activities in the service.”
He said that in stepping up its enforcement activities, Customs would invoke section 3 of its act which deals with possession of smuggled items.
Ali further raised the concerns that 90 per cent of imported vehicles are smuggled into the country, noting that time had come for the service to begin a clampdown of those behind smuggling.
“Let it be known that being in possession of smuggled item is an offence punishable under section 3 of Customs and Excise (Special Penal and Other provisions) Act laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.
“In the last two months, the service had stepped up its implementation of the Federal Government’s ban on importation of vehicles through land borders.
“This re-invigorated anti-smuggling activities have yielded positive results,” he told reporters.
He said the customs service would continue to equip and motivate its officers so that they can decisively deal with smugglers and smoke them out of their illicit businesses.
“The policy of reward for a good job and punishment for those who compromise will continue under my leadership.
“For those who may want to test the service resolve to maintain the new tempo of aggressive anti-smuggling operations, let me restart management’s readiness to sustain the tempo and even increase it by acquiring more working tools that will boost effectiveness,” he added.
Onyinye Nwachukwu, Abuja
