Impounded bullion van with over ₦24m, 12 bags of foreign rice released

The Ogun State Area II Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has released a bullion van with N24.489.500 cash and 12 bags of foreign rice it arrested at Olorunda in the State in April, 2022.

The bullion van was arrested over alleged involvement in smuggling banned items and commodities across border communities of the state.

The Area Comptroller of the Ogun II Command, Bisi Alade, during a press briefing in his office in Abeokuita said the bullion van which was conveying the cash belonging to a first-generation bank had 12 bags of foreign rice concealed in it.

Alade said three suspects were arrested, detained and granted administrative bail pending when they will be prosecuted for smuggling across border communities.

“We gather here today to release the bullion van with registration number FKJ993BZ in our custody. The vehicle belongs to Warehouse Limited and the money belongs to Access Banks PLC Abeokuta branch; both were detained by the officers and men of the joint border patrol team for being used to conceal some foreign parboiled rice of 50 kilogrammes each.

“On 22nd April 2022, officers and men of the joint border patrol team at the Oluranda axis of Ogun State intercepted the bullion van with registration number FKJ993BZ found to have consisted of foreign parboiled rice N24, 489, 500 along the Shokoto-Ido-Doga Road Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“The foreign parboiled rice which was 12 bags was carefully concealed in the vehicle. Consequently, the vehicle and the contents were conveyed to the Customs House Abeokuta for safekeeping. After conducting an examination on the vehicle, the said amount was discovered and deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abeokuta branch for safekeeping.

“The vehicle was detained in line with Section 168 of the Nigerian Customs Service Act 2023. In connection to the above seizures, three suspects were arrested, detained, granted administrative bail, and subsequently charged to court for aiding smuggling,” Alade said.

He added that based on investigation and recommendations, the CDC granted approval for the release of the detained van and the money in line with the provision of sections 24, 8, 1and 2 of the Nigerian Customs Service Act 2023.