The Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs; Monday Abueh has warned that there was no going back on the ban of vehicles through land borders, even as he confirmed that some die-hard smugglers had last week attempted to smuggle-in some of the vehicles that are currently trapped at Cotonou in Benin Republic.
Abueh stated this at the Idiroko border in Ogun State last week during his tour of area commands under his watch.
According to him, five 2014 model cars including; Mercedes Benz ML 350, Mercedes Benz E350, Lexus 330, Toyota Sienna and a Hilux patrol vehicle were being smuggled into the country. He said the vehicles were apprehended at the Alare Border in Idiroko.
ACG Abueh said that no arrests were made in connection with the seizures because in the process of apprehending the smugglers, the smugglers abandoned the vehicles and fled into the bush. He however assured that investigations are going.
“These cars were apprehended two nights ago, we will continue to do this without relenting in our efforts, about five vehicles were imported by the smugglers, but we cannot tell the duty paid value yet because we are not car marketers, the cars are brand new cars, despite the ban they tried to dare us, but we will continue to arrest them”
“We expect that the smugglers would stop attempting to cross those cars into the country, it would be good for everybody so that we can divert our attention to other areas, but in an attempt to come in again, we would continue to arrest them”, he assured.
Also speaking, Customs Area Controller, Ogun Command, Comptroller Hassan Gangwua said the Hilux patrol vehicle which was apprehended was fitted with a Nigerian Navy number plates so as to allow for easy passage. He said the patrol vehicle was loaded with bags of rice.
Gangwua equally disclosed that no fewer than 1,000 motorcycles used in the smuggling of rice through the border have been seized by the command.
He assured that the command would continue to do its best in combating smuggling of rice and other prohibited goods in the area.
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