Operators in the freight forwarding practice at the Seme border have commended the Nigerian Customs Service over the drastic reduction in the number of smuggled vehicles from neighbouring West Africa countries.
The operators also showered accolade on the Comptroller General Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde for the initiative of establishing the Vehicle Transit Scheme and the taskforce saying that it has helped to reduce smuggling at the border post.
Operators in the freight forwarding practice at the Seme border have commended the Nigerian Customs Service over the drastic reduction in the number of smuggled vehicles from neighbouring West Africa countries.
The operators also showered accolade on the Comptroller General Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde for the initiative of establishing the Vehicle Transit Scheme and the taskforce saying that it has helped to reduce smuggling at the border post.
Chairman, Seme border chapter of the National Council of Managing Directors Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Prince Charles Thomas stated that customs has done a lot to curb smuggling of vehicles. We hardly hear about vehicle smuggling in the border post at Seme and environs any longer", he told Auto Port Weekly last week.
According to him, the customs has deviced many means of outsmarting the smugglers; apart from the taskforce and the vehicle transit scheme that was set up by the Customs boss earlier in the year.
Also speaking, a member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Chief Sam Madubuike added that “the taskforce and officers of the Federal Operation Units have helped to curb smuggling of vehicles"
He said " before now smuggling of vehicles used to be very easy because Cotonou is another country and people can clear their cars there and register it in Cotonou , bring it in through ECOWAS bond"
" Then it was difficult to stop them because there document is correct ;most especially when they are using the ambassadorial plate numbers which you don't have any right to check"
But all that has changed now because with the introduction of the CG taskforce , nobody cares whether you happens to be an ambassador or not, You must be checked due to the security issues we are facing in the country at the moment and the level of smuggling vehicles now at the border is at its lowest stage. "
"It is what we are aware of and everyday we see officers diverting cars to the command for either seizures or detention and in that same process, it will only take the grace of God to get your cars back when it gets to the customs command. Mostly If it has anything to do with smuggling or low duty payment."
" I remember back then, Badagry used to be a flying zone of vehicle smuggling but it is no more the same".
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