CUSTOMS RECOVERS 18 “SMUGGLED” BULLETPROOF VEHICLES FROM ABUJA SHOP

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) of the Nigeria Customs Service Tuesday, said it had impounded exotic bulletproof vehicles, which were imported into the country without payment of duties.

• The 18 suspected smuggled vehicles were seized from a car dealer, Kefiano Motors Limited, in Abuja.
• 13 were bulletproof and did not have the mandatory end-user certificate, which is usually issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser – least of which was valued at N70 million, the most expensive being N280 million.
• The vehicles: Two Range Rover, one Rolls Royce, four Lexus, three G-Wagon, two Prado, one Lincoln Navigator, one Infinity, one Mercedes Benz 4matic, two Toyota Sequoia and one Toyota Camry.
• Therefore, the service had now confiscated a total of 283 vehicles in the last two months.
• The Customs boss said 135 vehicles were seized from Lagos, 93 from Kaduna and 37 from Port Harcourt.
• Ali lamented that 90 percent of imported vehicles were being smuggled into the country, noting that the time had come for the service to begin a clampdown on those behind smuggling.
• “On Saturday, September 16, 2017, based on credible information, the detachment of the Compliance Team visited Kefiano Motors Limited in the Central Business Area, Abuja and discovered 18 suspected smuggled exotic vehicles that were displayed for sale.
• “Beyond the issue of non-payment of customs duty, 13 of these vehicles are bulletproof. These vehicles require clearance from the Office of the National Security Adviser before importation.”
• “Let it be known that being in possession of smuggled items is an offence punishable under Section 3 of Customs and Excise (Special Penal and Other provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”