Customs intercepts N1.5bn contraband in Lagos, Ogun in two weeks

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday said it impounded over N1.461 billion contraband from suspected smugglers in Lagos and Ogun states in the past two weeks.

Notable among the seized items were 13 types of exotic cars valued at about N258.140 million.

The Customs Controller in charge of FOU Zone A, Ikeja, Mohammed Uba, made this disclosure at a press conference held yesterday at the unit’s headquarters.

Uba said the detained 13 among exotic vehicles were one Toyota Land Cruiser (2018), one Escalades Cardilac (2017), one Range Rover (2014), three Toyota Camry (2009, 2010 and 2017 models) one Toyota Rav 4, one Toyota Highlander (2014), one Toyota CRV, one Honda Accord, one BMW salon, one Toyota Sienna, and one Hyundai.

He said though the vehicles were still under detention pending the grace period allowed for the owners to bring relevant customs document, failure on the part of the owner would mean outright forfeiture.

He said: “The interception was done while on patrol at various locations within our area of jurisdiction.

“These 13 detained exotic vehicles alone have a duty paid value of N258,137,766.98.

“It will interest you to know that among the detained vehicles in our previous briefing, 64 of them have been converted to seizure after all necessary legal procedures were followed within the week under review, but they are still awaiting court condemnation.”

Comptroller Uba further stated that the unit, through its intervention, recovered in the month of March alone the sum of N166.208 billion from duty payments and demand notices on general goods from seaports, airport and border stations.