Customs boss tells owners
Controller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali has ordered that owners of vehicles impounded in recent raid of car dealer shops for not paying customs duty can pay and take their cars.
Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone B in conjunction with the Strike Force of Nigeria Customs Service recently sealed about 110 car shops in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Ilorin, Sokoto, Kebbi and other cities in the North.
This is part of a renewed anti smuggling campaign aimed at ensuring compliance with import guidelines.
Confirming the development, Mustafa Sarkin-Kebbi, Controller of the unit said that the clamp down on the car shops was in exercise of the extant laws empowering Customs operatives to enter any building suspected to have smuggled items.
Sarkin-Kebbi said that the Controller General of Customs has approved that owners of vehicles found to be without proof of duty payment can come forward to pay and collect their vehicles.
He disclosed further that his men are applying tact, intelligence and cooperation in the fight against smuggling as according to him, smugglers are planting informants around customs operatives to compromise and circumvent their anti smuggling duties.
“The Controller General, Col. Hameed Ali , has graciously approved that owners of vehicles that have not paid duty and are affected by our raids, can come forward to pay and collect their vehicles.
“This is a window of opportunity for owners of smuggled vehicles to come forward and pay Customs duty to avoid forfeiture.
“Persons with vehicles that do not have duty papers can also voluntarily come forward to pay duty on such vehicles too.
“Duty evasion which robs government of revenue will not be condoned under our watch because our Controller General has declared zero tolerance to such unlawful act.
“It is , no doubt, economic sabotage and will not be allowed to stand. As we speak , our men are intensifying efforts in this exercise which aims at ensuring compliance, collecting maximum revenue for government, discourage smuggling and growing the economy,” Sarkin-Kebbi said.
He added that the sealing of car shops is being carried out simultaneously in nine states and The Federal Capital under the zone.