Customs releases impounded bullion van, N24m to bank officials

Officers from the Ogun Area Command II of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have reported seizing a bullion van containing N24 million in cash for smuggling 12 bags of foreign parboiled rice. The impounded bullion van belonged to Warehouse Ltd., while the money was the property of Access Bank PLC’s Abeokuta Branch.

The Area Controller of the command, Olusola Alade, revealed that a joint task force had confiscated the bullion van in April 2022. The van was utilized to transport 12 bags of smuggled rice, each weighing 50kg.

In a statement to journalists on Friday, the customs official explained that the bullion van and the money were being handed over to bank officials in Abeokuta, the state capital. He disclosed that the release of the van and the funds to Access Bank was granted on compassionate grounds by the Controller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

The customs boss further stated that three suspects involved in the smuggling incident had been arrested and charged in court. He detailed the circumstances, saying, “On April 22, 2022, officers and men of the joint border patrol team at the Olorunda axis of Ogun State intercepted the used bullion van with Reg. No. FKY 993 BZ, found to have concealed some bags of foreign parboiled rice and N24,489,500, along the Sokoto-Ijoun/Joga Road, Abeokuta axis of Ogun State.”

Following the arrest, the 12 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice were discovered to be covertly concealed in the bullion van. After apprehending the suspects, the seized money was deposited at the Abeokuta branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria for safekeeping.