From the first quarter of 2021, the first quarter of 2022 and 2023, a total of 3,491 used vehicles with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2bn illegally imported into the country have been seized by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). According to documents received exclusively by Sunday Punch from the Service, a total of 304 vehicles with a DPV of 501 million Naira was seized in the first quarter of 2021, while the service was able to confiscate 3,039 vehicles with a DPV of N699 million.
The document also showed that during the same period in 2023, the service recorded the lowest number of seizures at 148 units. However, the DPV recorded the highest at 863 million Naira.
Regarding the seizures, the number of vehicles seized in the first quarter of this year was low. A customs official, who wished to remain anonymous, admitted to this and stated that the tariffs owed were very high.
He suggested that automobiles imported this year are likely to be more expensive than those imported in 2021 and 2022.
According to the source –
“If a vehicle is used to convey smuggled items in contravention of the law, it will be seized. A vehicle that was improperly imported, imported through an unapproved route or a vehicle that was used to smuggle non-custom items will definitely be seized, that is what the law states.
“The importation of those vehicles is only allowed through the seaports. So, anybody who tries to import one through the land borders is engaging in smuggling. As a result, such vehicles will be seized. All automobiles are supposed to come in through Nigerian seaports. All the vehicles that were seized were in contravention of various Customs laws.”
Reacting to this, the founder of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, Mr Frank Ukor, blamed the constant increase in the tariff of imported vehicles for smuggling.
He stated that –
“The reason is simple; the government keeps increasing the tariff on these vehicles. To an average importer, the duty is high and if you add it to the amount they spend in buying the cars, they may not be able to sell them. So, they decide to look for unapproved routes, where it will be cheaper to bring in the vehicles; that is the problem.
“The importers fail to realise that they will be the ultimate loser. If at the end of the day the Customs intercept the vehicles, it is an automatic seizure. Furthermore, the money they spend buying them will be wasted.”
Ukor advised importers to ensure that appropriate duties were paid on imported used vehicles.
cc: Punch Ng
