Vincent Toritseju
04 October 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Seme area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has smashed a smuggling syndicate that specializes in smuggling exotic cars using funeral activities as a cover.
Disclosing this to newsmen in Lagos recently, the Customs Area Comptroller of the Command, Mr. Mohammed Aliyu said that operatives of the service uncovered the desperate antics deployed by smugglers in order to beat anti-smuggling officers.
Aliyu said that a Lexus 450 Jeep that had posters of a deceased person (supposedly going for a burial) was intercepted.
He also said that another waste disposal truck used by smugglers to bring in contraband was also intercepted.
The truck, according to the Customs Comptroller was discovered to have contained 534pieces of used tyres.
He explained that the tyres were to be disposed of as waste when it was intercepted while the disguised jeep allegedly going for burial was discovered to be smuggled into the country.
He said “No amount of antics devised by smugglers will go undetected by the officers and men whose eagle eyes are always beaming on every nook and crannies of the border.
“Implementing the policy of the federal government on the ban of new and fairly used vehicles through the land border without compromise is a task that must be done by officers of the command”.
He reiterated that the ban on importation of new and fairly used vehicles through the land border that commenced on the 1st January 2017 is still in force and will be sustained.
He warned that dare-devil smugglers who will not desist from using Seme route will continue to count their losses behind bars when arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.
The comptroller also re-emphasized the need to beef up security along the border considering the security threat of illegal importation of arms through the nation’s seaports.
He added that the command’s zero tolerance to the nation’s security threat (via illegal importation of arms) through meticulous screening of imported goods using the scanning machine will be sustained.