The Ogun State Area Command II of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially released a bullion van that made headlines back in 2022, having been apprehended with smuggled rice and a whopping N24 million.

Customs Area Controller Olusola Alade made this announcement on Friday during a press briefing, disclosing that the bullion van, initially impounded in April 2022 for transporting 12 bags of 50kg smuggled foreign parboiled rice, has now been released, based on reports by News Agency of Nigeria.

The van, which was traced back to an Abeokuta branch of Access Bank, also harboured the sum of N24.4 million. The cash and the bullion van, sporting the registration number FKJ 993 BZ, have been handed over to officials of Bankers Warehouse Ltd. and Access Bank in Abeokuta.

What Customs said

• “The bullion van belonged to Bankers Warehouse and was impounded on April 22, 2022, by a joint border patrol team along the Sokoto-join/Joga road in the Abeokuta axis.
• “The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, has now ordered the release of the bullion van and the money to both the Bankers Warehouse and Access Bank on compassionate ground after investigation,” Alade said.
• “The seized foreign parboiled rice which were 12 bags of 50kg each were carefully concealed in the said vehicle. “Consequently, the said vehicle and the items were conveyed to the Customs House in Abeokuta for safekeeping.
• “After examining the vehicle, the money was discovered and deposited at the Abeokuta branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safekeeping.
• “The vehicle was detained while the rice was converted to seizure in line with Section 168 of Nigeria 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 explained.

Subsequently, Bankers Warehouse Ltd. and Access Bank submitted an appeal letter to the Customs’ Comptroller-General, seeking the release of both the van and the money on compassionate grounds.

After careful consideration of investigation outcomes and recommendations, the Comptroller-General approved the release, aligning with the provisions of Section 248 (1) and (2) of the NCS Act, 2023.

[Nairametrics]