Nigerian Customs seize 11 vehicles worth N128m
Over 11 exotic motor vehicles with Duty Paid Value of N128,084,026, have been intercepted and seized by men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’, Owerri, Imo State.
Some of the vehicles according to Punch Newspaper, included 2013 model Range Rover HSE, 2010 model Total Camry, 2007 model Volvo XC 90, 2013 model Toyota Venza, 2012 model Mercedes Benz. GLK 350 and 2005 model Mercedes Benz ML 350.
Other are 2014 model Mercedes Benz ML 350, 2015 model Toyota Hilux, 2007 model Toyota Tundra, 2017 model Toyota Tacoma and 2016 model Dodge Ram.
Giving the DPV of the seized vehicles on Saturday at the Customs Warehouse, Aduwawa, Benin, Edo State, the Customs Area Controller, Mr Kayode Olusemire, stated the DPV of Range Rover HSE was N30,728, 441, Toyota Camry, N5,140,616, Volvo XC 90, N3,582, 568, Toyota Venza, N12,912,638, Mercedes Benz GLK, N12,952,171 and Mercedes Benz ML 350, N5,816,448.
Olumsemire also said the vehicles were intercepted and seized by the eagle-eyed officers of the service on patrol along the Benin axis of the unit on Thursday.
He said that the cars were seized for non-payment of respective duty, adding that importation of cars into the country was not banned by the Federal Government and wondered why a Nigerian will purchase a vehicle of such high monetary value without paying the accruable duty.
Olusemire said, “It is pertinent to state that the illicit activities of smugglers have adversely affected the nation’s economy and we cannot allow such obnoxious business ventures to continue.”
He however urged Nigerians wishing to buy cars to go to Customs SERVICOM offices or its website for relevant information to avoid being deceived by smugglers.
