The Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized the two imported vehicles; a Toyota Solara, and a Toyota Matrix in connection with importation of ammunitions and a revolver pistol shipped into the country through the port last Saturday.
The Customs Area Controller in charge of the Tin Can Island Port; Compt Bashir Yussuf has also debunked insinuations of anxiety at the command over the seizure.
At a press briefing at the command yesterday, the Controller cleared that the pistol was discovered in the Toyota Solara car with chassis number; 4TIFA38P46U065280 while the Toyota Matrix was impounded because it also belongs to the same importer.
The armful import according to him was originated from the United States from where it arrived at the Five Star Logistics Terminal. He however refused to disclose the identity of the importer but he assured that his name and address are with the Customs.
Bashir assured that the items would be handed over to the Nigerian Police for further investigations.
He said "a ship, SEBRING EXPRESS had arrived at the port on Saturday, specifically at the Five Star Logistics Terminal with 2, 116 vehicles, four ammunitions (two expended) and a revolver were discovered inside one of the vehicles, a Toyota Solara with chasis number 4TIFA38P46U065280. The Solara was discovered while it was being offloaded from the ship".
Bashir said the event happened on Saturday and that the Customs only took custody of the vehicle on Monday.
"Whenever we made seizures here we projected it, so I wondered why there should be anxiety instead of coming to us for clarification, the writer went ahead to put up the erroneous report"
"I read in one of the papers conflicting information, un-mindful of the state of security in the nation, they never came to me to clarify, it is essential that we talk on the table and not under the table, it is always good to get facts and figures" he advised.
He said that at the time the report went viral, the terminal operator had just written a letter notifying customs of the discovery because the cargo was not yet in customs custody, they were just pulling the vehicles from the ship when it was discovered.
According to him, no declaration has been made yet on both vehicles because they were just arriving.
"On examination, we discovered that the importer has another vehicle, a Toyota Matrix in his name, the chassis number is; 2TILE4EE0AC013249"
"After investigations are completed, the items would be handed over to the Nigerian Police formally" the Controller assured.
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