16 exotic vehicles and other items of N501.6 million were impounded by the Federal Operations Unit’s (FOU’s) Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The items include an armoured Land Cruiser, 4,338 bags of foreign rice and fake drugs with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N501,650,065.00.
The Zonal Comptroller Olusemire Kayode said the seizures were made between June and August.
He said the interception of the contraband at various points within the zone was a continuation of the relentless clampdown on smuggling activities by men of the NCS.
The Comptroller said one truckload of unregistered and fake pharmaceutical drugs (Chakarain xtra tablet) with a DPV of N57 million was also intercepted by Customs officials on Benin-Ore Expressway. He said seven suspects were arrested in connection with seizures.
Olusemire gave the list of the seized items as bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser (2013); Toyota Land Cruiser (2012); Lexus IS 250(2006); Mercedes Benz MLS (2012 model); four Toyota Venza; three Toyota Hilux (2018, 2017, 2016 models), among others.
Also impounded were 595 bags of foreign rice, which were allegedly concealed in a cement truck to beat Custom checkpoints.The others are bales of used clothing and used tyres.
Conducting reporters round the impounded items, Olusemire advised Nigerians to desist from wasting their hard-earned resources on smuggling, which they erroneously perceive as a business.
The Comptroller said smugglers lose a lot of money as the NCS continues to decimate their ranks. He advised those buying cars to patronise reputable car dealers and always insist on seeing the Customs certificate before buying any car.
