Guests and staff members of Frasier Suites, Central Business District, Abuja were thrown into confusion on Wednesday night when men of the Nigeria Customs Service embarked on a raid of the hotel.

One of our correspondents who visited the scene observed three customs patrol vehicles marked Zone B, Federal Operation Unit and Strike Force Unit blocking the entrance to the hotel.

The armed operatives numbering over 12 impounded 11 vehicles which were mainly Toyota, Lexus and Mercedes Benz.

The vehicles were also said not to have customs duty documents.

Some of them include a black Toyota Prado SUV with number RSH 500R; a Benz SUV marked GWA 665 RZ; a Lexus SUV marked EKY 650FA; a Benz E Class with number ABC 592TM and a Toyota Prado marked ABJ 704CH.

Top management employees of the hotel could be seen pleading with customs officers to please move away from the gate.

The adamant customs officials were said to be acting under the instruction of the comptroller of the unit.

A customs officer who spoke to The PUNCH on the condition of anonymity said they received a tip off from an informant that hotels had become the new warehouse for vehicles without duty.

He said, “We learnt that when we turned up the heat on car marts, many of these smugglers started hiding their vehicles in hotels.

“We discovered 11 exotic vehicles with unpaid duties running into millions of naira were kept in the hotel.



“It was gathered that the service also stormed some car marts and a few state liaison offices where they believed smuggled cars were being kept.

A top source at Fraiser Suite disclosed that four high-end vehicles were seen at the hotel premises, adding that the owners were summoned to provide the original documents of the vehicles.

The source said, “The Customs gave the hotel management notice about the operation. They tracked down four luxury cars to the hotel premises and the owners were asked to provide the original papers showing that the necessary duties were paid on the cars.

Territory, but the number of sealed showrooms could not be immediately ascertained.

The service had reportedly sealed car marts in Kaduna and Sokoto States on Monday, as part of the clampdown on smuggling through the land borders by the Federal Government.

The Comptroller-General’s Strike Force and officers attached to the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ in Ikeja had similarly raided and sealed car dealers’ offices in Lagos.

An eyewitness who is currently on ground at the hotel, Imo Ugochinyere, has narrated the ordeals of the hotel’s guests in the hands of the armed officials of the NCS.

Ugochinyere, who is the national spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties, in a message sent to one of our correspondents said some diplomats and military men lodged in the hotel were blocked from leaving or entering the hotel because of the siege.

He wrote, “Customs men have invaded Fraser Suite Abuja and sealed it, blocking diplomats and guests from coming in or going out.

“The affected guests include some soldiers who are lodging in the place.

“They are harassing guests and ordering hotel workers to wake guests up from sleep to identify their cars.

“Such barbaric actions have never been seen even during Abacha days.

“I am on ground there now.”






https://punchng.com/breaking-customs-raid-abuja-hotel-state-liaison-offices-in-search-of-smuggled-vehicles/

You bought a costly car and custom duties became trash......

Kudos to genuine custom officers out there.....

95% of custom officers are very corrupt.............

Heavy Envelope is always their problem...... And you have your way...

This is what happens when a burukutu sipping drunkard appoints a gworo chewing maga as customs DG yet you wonder why businesses are running to Ghana and other African countries

This is why Buhari said everybody should be law abiding.

Most Nigerians are just lawless and looking for way to either cheat themselves or cheat the government.

You'll have money to import a luxurious car but you won't want to pay duties or taxes on it.

Customs should jejely auction off the cars.

Okay

The customs did a good job, but we are fast approaching the era of SNITCHES, some people go just dey use bad belle eye dey look you, when them come realise say you no send them, they would rather call police, effcc or the likes on you.

Let the owners install a car tracker so they can know if any of the custom official might what to take the car for a personal spin.

Op if you know the owners check my signature.

Naija and short cut

Why are these customs people on rampage like these. So because the borders are closed u guys are now going everywhere looking for the least victims to extort from.. O God why.. God will judge u people.. People r suffering n u people r adding more suffering to them.. Before it was car stands now hotels. Stupid people..

No hiding for Saboteurs

How can custom go to hotel to impound cars. What nonsense... They will soon start going to houses.

Don't we have govt Officials as a Nairalander on this Forum??

imagine

Wantedmiller:
You bought a costly car and custom duties became trash......

Kudos to genuine custom officers out there.....

95% of custom officers are very corrupt.............

Heavy Envelope is always their problem...... And you have your way...

the cars fly enter ?

Customs go to hotel? We are finished in this coun3

Okay. Continue if this is the ruthless way we have to go through to liberation, then so be it.

If you can spend millions buying car then paying duties shouldn't be issue

Toks2008:
Funny...

Customs have the right to impound regardless of where the vehicles are EVEN AFTER CROSSING THE BORDERS...The question we should be asking is how did the vehicles pass through the borders in the first instance if we have an effective custom service?

In most cases, it is the same custom service that allows smugglers to pass through the borders and then turn around to seize same items after collecting huge bribe to allow them pass...

This is why smugglers kill customs anyhow.

While they raid those Cars, they. Should also look inward for cracks.

seriously guys this government is bent on destroying everything left of this country, how can u collect over 300% as custom duties, this is wickedness of the highest order, just crippling people's businesses in the name of paying loyalty

Funny...

Customs have the right to impound regardless of where the vehicles are EVEN AFTER CROSSING THE BORDERS...The question we should be asking is how did the vehicles pass through the borders in the first instance if we have an effective custom service?

In most cases, it is the same custom service that allows smugglers to pass through the borders and then turn around to seize same items after collecting huge bribe to allow them pass...

This is why smugglers kill customs anyhow.

This is very sad and shameful.


How did the cars arrive Abuja; they vanished from the borders and spiritually appeared in Abuja It shows Nigerian Customs are not doing their job for these cars to pass through the borders and go all the way to Abuja, passed several custom checkpoints, only for you guys to go and be spoiling someone's business with your shameful display!!

Nigeria has remained so miserable and poor as it is today, all because all these half educated Northerners have been heading Nigeria's key government agencies and parastatals since the end of civil war....they made stupid policies, and even when the few intelligent chaps from the south make some sound policies, these same half baked literates from the north who get appointed to key government positions based on tribe and religious affiliation mess the whole good policy up through their stupid ways of implementing the policies thinking we are still in the 20 BC, it really hurts occupying same nation with these archaic people that refused to evolve

Get your children educational android tablets @ N20,000 with free delivery nationwide. Go through my threads for pictures and please check my signature for contact

The car owners right now!!!

Bros pay ya custom duty naah!!

RZArecta2:
This is what happens when a burukutu sipping drunkard appoints a gworo chewing maga as customs DG yet you wonder why businesses are running to Ghana and other African countries

What in the world is this idiot saying?

Citytrend:
This Custom saga doesn't sound like something that will go away anytime soon. And I forsee Auto price soaring in coming weeks and months

Anyway, l will Build a Professional Logo for your Product or Company For 2k Only. Offer valid today only. See my info below to Chat me up on

do business with these guy at your own risk. he will take your money without delivering. FRAUD.....

I learnt it is Davido's hotel. The name is actually "Fraizer Suites", just before Grand Square/Coscharis.