Friday, July 19, 2024 -The Federal Operations Unit, FOU, of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has confiscated 1,500 pieces of bulletproof jackets illegally imported, amongst other items.
Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on
Thursday, July 18, the Comptroller FOU, Kola Olajide, said that the confiscated
goods have damaging implications on the security, health and economic
well-being of the country, adding that the importation of all kinds of military
wares by individuals is under “absolute prohibition”.
He explained that a total of N3.636
billion was calculated as the Duty Paid Value of the seized items.
“Series of operations that resulted in the
interception and seizures of 1,500 pieces of bullet proof jackets, 989 kg of
Indian Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) and 5,229 cartons of expired drugs took place at
various times and locations within the South-Western States. Four suspects were
apprehended in connection with various offenses, including violating
import/export guidelines, concealment, wrong classification, smuggling, and
contravening policy directives.”
Meanwhile, in a move to discourage the
smuggling of vehicles into the country, the Customs, in collaboration with the
Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, are currently reviewing the vehicle
registration process to ensure that only automobiles that have duly paid import
duty are registered.
Olajide said that both agencies were
still working out the modalities of fine-tuning and capturing vehicles that
genuinely cleared from the ports and border posts are qualified for
registration.
“The owner of a smuggled vehicle
cannot go with that vehicle forever and there are some policy measures the
management of the Customs Service is trying to put in place for this purpose.
So, it will be difficult for owners of such vehicles to get them registered.
And I believe the measure when concluded will put a stop to the menace of
registration of smuggled vehicle.''
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