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HomeNewsCustoms cancel 1,968 licences over sharp practices

Customs cancel 1,968 licences over sharp practices

Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has revoked over 1,968 licenses issued to customs agents for various offenses committed on imports at the ports and borders. It was revealed that the licenses were revoked for various infractions such as frequent false declaration of goods by shippers, importation of prohibited goods, eva-sion of import duty on goods, concealment, under invoicing and under valuation on imports. Also, it was learnt that the service is making efforts to review and make the list of valid licenses known to the public.

The Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), the legal instrument, which controls the operation and administration of NCS, empowers the service to issue licenses to customs agents after fulfilling payment of a prescribed fee, proof of ownership of office well equipped with relevant Customs research materials on tariff and trade.

However, the affected licenses became non-operational right from the days they were revoked by the Customs, while their owners could only be issued fresh ones to clear goods if NCS considers it fit to grant them leniency subject to their being repentant. Commenting on this development, Managing Director of Okpoto Logistics Limited, Mr. Sam Elem, told this newspaper that most of the agents operating at the ports did not own valid licenses, but use their colleagues’ operational licenses, mostly at a price that was dictated by the owners.

He said that the customs agents, who handled the clearing of the 661 rifles at the Lagos Port complex could have his license revoked by Customs after investigations on the imports may have been concluded. Elem added that majority of those who paraded themselves as practitioners of the trade were fake and touts, waiting to dupe unsuspecting importers.

He said: “When NCS discovered that a third party is using another agent’s license for fraudulent practice, there is a penalty for that and this is why NSC is hard on revocation of licenses. Also, he explained that if the issue for the revocation of customs agent practicing license had been resolved between NCS and the company involved, the owner could get his license back. He said: “This can happen when customs is sure that the company has satisfied all the conditions laid down by the authorities.

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“Licenses are revoked to checkmate dishonest customs agent and importers who engage in anti-trade practices.” Elem noted that Customs issued Demand Notice or Debit Note (DN) on goods, which value had been under declared, or where there are cases of concealment, among others, on such imports.

He said: “Most of the crowd gathering daily, especially at the Tin Can Port first and second gates, the Port Terminal Multi-services (PTML) Customs command, Lagos Port and car clearing parks are touts, who are waiting for easy preys to pounce on.”

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