Customs seizes N2b contraband from suspected smugglers

•Nine bulletproof vehicles, military uniform, others seized

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted nine bulletproof vehicles allegedly smuggled into the country by some “screenshots” importers through the land borders and the sea port.

The items, it was gathered, were intercepted by officers and men of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, between September 4 and October 3.

Addressing reporters in his office yesterday, the zone’s Area Controller Mohammed Aliyu said the unit, in less than one month, intercepted military uniforms and various contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of over N2 billion.

Twenty-eight suspects, Muhammed said, were arrested in connection with the 89 seizures made by the unit within the period under review.

According to him, the seized items include: 22 exotic vehicles, 11,303 bags of foreign parboiled rice brands, 2,410 cartons of foreign frozen poultry products, 853 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 245 parcels of Indian hemp, 4×40 feet containers of unprocessed wood, 2,017 bales of used clothing and 283 cartons of fake pharmaceutical products.

The 22 vehicles include nine bulletproof vehicles, four Lexus Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) IBXS70 (2016), three Land Cruiser jeeps (2016) and two Mercedes Benz G63 and 8,550 (2014/2015) model.

The other vehicles include one Toyota Rav4 (2015) model, three Toyota Hilux (2018), two Toyota H1ghlander (2018), one Toyota Prado (2018), one Toyota Land cruiser (2016), one Toyota Corolla, one Toyota Fortuner (2017), one Toyota Sequoia and one Lexus RX 350, among others.

The 22 exotic vehicles, investigations revealed, have a duty paid value of N1.1 billion.

Some of the vehicles were reportedly intercepted at Ogere and Ijebu-Ode expressway in Ogun State, while the bulletproof vehicles were trailed and seized from some private homes on Victoria Island, Lagos, a tip-off.

Although the area comptroller did not give the number of military uniforms seized, it was learnt that there were 30 of them.

Considering the security challenge in the country, the Customs chief said the military uniforms could be used by unpatriotic politicians and other criminals to wreak havoc.

He noted that as unpatriotic elements have begun to dress like solders, Nigerians should support the Service in reducing criminalities across the country.