Smuggling: Customs to clampdown on vehicle dealer shops, owners

JUST like officials of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) raided rice markets in the country over claims that such commodity came into the country illegally, the Service has issued a one month grace to vehicle dealers and private vehicle owners in the country, whose vehicles were illegally brought into the country to regularise their duty payment by visiting any of its Zones scattered across the country or lose such vehicles. This is even as the Customs has issued a one month grace period for owners of smuggled in vehicles to regularise their vehicles duty payment.

According to a statement signed on Thursday by the NCS National Spokesman, Joseph Attah, owners of such vehicles have between Monday 13th March to Wednesday 12th April 2017 to comply or forfeit their vehicles.

According to the statement, “The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has approved a grace period of one month, between Monday 13th March to Wednesday 12th April 2017 for owners of all vehicles within the Country whose customs duty has not been paid, to do so.

“Consequently, all motor dealers and private owners of such vehicles are advised to visit the nearest Customs Zonal Office to pay the appropriate Customs Duty on them.

“The Four Zonal Offices of the Nigeria Customs Service are: Zone a Headquarters, No. 1 Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos; Zone B Headquarters, Kabala Doki, Kaduna; Zone C Headquarters, Nigeria Ports Authority, Port Harcourt and Zone D Headquarters, Yelwa Tudu Road, Bauchi State.

“The CGC therefore calls on all persons in possession of such vehicles to take advantage of the grace period to pay appropriate duties on them, as there will be an aggressive anti-smuggling operation to seize as well as prosecute owners of such smuggled vehicles after the deadline of Wednesday 12th April, 2017.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all private car owners who are not sure of the authenticity of their vehicles customs documents can also approach the Zonal Offices to verify with a view to complying with the provision of the law.”

It would be recalled that some rice markets were recently raided even after the commodities had evaded eagle eyed Customs operatives at the nation’s border. Thousands of bags of rice were seized and taken away from warehouses in major markets.