SON Impounds Imported Goods with False Declaration

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has seized a 40-feet container laden with various electronic products with false declaration, noting that this move by the importer was to outsmart regulatory agencies at the port and also avoid paying excise duties to the federal government.

The container, which belongs to one Golden Ring Mega Biz Ventures Limited, was stocked with unbranded refrigerators and television hangers but was falsely declared as soldering iron materials.

Indeed, the agency noted that the move to intercept the container on the highway was to ensure that these untested and uncertified products do not find their way into the Nigerian markets so as not to short-change the unsuspecting Nigerian consumers.

The Director, Inspectorate and Compliance, SON, Bede Obayi, explained that the agency had several times informed importers on the critical importance of always declaring the contents of their containers with all sincerity, maintaining that this is the only way the federal government’s policy on ease of doing business can be achieved.

He said: “The importer of this container, Golden Ring Mega Biz Ventures Limited brought in this 40 feet container loaded with unbranded refrigerators and LED television hangers, but declared soldering iron. This is false declaration and from our Nigeria Customs Information System ( NICIS), we monitored the container and was able to intercept it on the highway.”

Obayi during an enforcement exercise in Lagos, said SON will continue to complement the effort of the federal govern- ment in its quest to improve businesses in the country.

”We have examined the container and the content is different from what the importer declared. As you can see, the refrigerators are unbranded and once it gets into the market, it will carry names of popular brands to deceive the unsuspecting Nigerian consumer,” he added.