By Anwar Usman 

The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Wale Adeniyi, has handed over 21 exotic cars worth over N8.1 billion to the Canadian government. 

The exotic vehicles include Rolls Royce, Labomgini Horicane, Mercedes-AMG and Range Rover. 

The comptroller explained that members of the syndicate stole vehicles from foreign countries and subsequently imported them into Nigeria using forged documents, adding that with the aid of the recently established Operations Hot Wheel, officers had recovered about 21 exotic cars from the criminal gang. 

Operation Hot Wheel comprises officers from the Nigeria Customs Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Canadian government. 

Adeniyi revealed that all 21 vehicles were recovered with the aid of the Canadian government as well as the EFCC.Speaking at the official handing over of the stolen vehicles, the CGC stated the Nigeria Customs Service had doubled its operations against vehicle trafficking syndicates operating within the country’s borders. 

The CGC added that, “according to INTERPOL reports, West Africa has emerged as a renown destination hub in the global stolen vehicle trade network, which extends from Europe and North America to as far as South America and Australia.

This challenge is particularly acute in Nigeria”. Adeniyi also highlighted that available data according to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals that between 2013-2015, only 54 per cent of stolen vehicles were recovered, noting that it shows the scale and sophistication of this criminal enterprise. 

“Recent intelligence from international law enforcement agencies further confirms that our region has become a preferred destination for internationally stolen vehicles, a trend that not only denigrate Nigeria’s international world view but also impacts our economy through substantial revenue losses and increased security spending” Adeniyi stated. 

“In order to combat these challenges, the Nigeria Customs Service came up with Operation Hot Wheels, a targeted enforcement initiative aimed at disrupting the flow of stolen vehicles into Nigeria through our ports and borders. Launched as a collaborative effort between the Nigeria Customs Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Canadian authorities, the operation focused on intelligence sharing, coordinated surveillance, and strategic interdiction. 

“The operation’s primary objectives included identifying and intercepting stolen vehicles, dismantling trafficking networks, and strengthening international cooperation in tackling transnational vehicle theft. This multi agency approach was designed to leverage the unique capabilities and jurisdictional advantages of each participating organization,” Adenyi stated. 

According to him, criminals are now using various tactics, including false declarations and the use of containerised shipments, attempting to circumvent customs detection systems. 

He said the operation exposed how stolen vehicles were being smuggled through the nation’s ports using legitimate cargo as cover.

ByAdmin

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