Reduction in vehicle smuggling at borders excites Customs.

The Nigeria Customs Service is now beating its chest for its effective anti smuggling war at the borders, claiming there has been a sharp drop in the smuggling of vehicles through the land border posts, especially Seme Border.

Making this claim was the Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme Border, Compt Uba Garba who disclosed that the number of cars intercepted by the command is coming down gradually.

He noted that compared to the 23 assorted vehicles smuggled in March 2019 and other months, the command seized only thirteen (13) vehicles in the last two months

Notable amongst the seized vehicles are Toyota Highlander (2005), Range Rover (2007), Toyota Rav 4 (2006), Toyota Venza (2010) and others. The combined duty paid value (DPV) for the vehicles stands at N46,129,880

Compt Uba attributed the sharp decrease in vehicle smuggling to compliance level of Nigerians whom he said are beginning to engage in more meaningful vocations.

He also said that the reduction does not imply that officers are now resting on their oars, noting that the anti smuggling unit has even intensified its efforts.

Uba said the anti-smuggling unit of the Seme area command has been up and doing and has been able to intercept 13 vehicles on which attempt was made to smuggle through the land borders.

”It is an open secret that the federal government has banned the importation of vehicles and rice through the land borders, it is for this reason that these vehicles have been arrested and subsequently, they would be seized and forfeited to the federal government after due process”

“Based on our records, the smuggling of vehicles through the land borders is coming down to the barest minimum. I would look at it based on the previous conferences we have had, we had more vehicles seized”
“It is not that the officers have relented, in fact they have even intensified their effort in trying to get these vehicles seized, and they have been pursuing the smugglers to their finishing bar”
“We are still studying and records would show the smugglers are trying to change for the better and engage themselves in better activities. It is too short a time for now to conclude, but in the course of time, we would continue to investigate and find out before we conclude”
The Customs boss confirmed that the service was able to intercept the vehicles as well as other items with the aid of Nigerian Air Force personnel.

“They collaborated with us, we have a synergy with all the security agencies, we are all bound by a common factor which is security, no agency can do it alone, there has to be collaboration so that we can reach our goal”