The Nigeria Customs Service says it raided Fraser Suites, Abuja,
after receiving an intelligence that some exotic cars without duty
payment were parked in the hotel.
Joseph Attah, customs spokesman, said the service learnt the
cars, suspected to have been smuggled into the country, were
removed from a car mart.
Recall that operatives of the service had besieged the hotel
after seizing six cars parked there on Wednesday night.
In a statement on Thursday, Attah said the cars were seized
pending a confirmation that they were not smuggled.
He also denied the guests at the hotel were asked to come out of
their rooms.
“The attention of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been drawn
to misinformation making the rounds concerning visit of our
operatives to an Abuja hotel to remove suspected smuggled vehicles
Thursday,” he said.
“Our operatives, relying on intelligence that owners of some
exotic cars (including bullet proof) without duty payment quickly
removed their vehicles from a car mart and took same to Frasier
Hotel, Abuja.
“On arrival at the hotel, our operatives interacted with the
manager and eventually left with 4 vehicles leaving 6 behind, while
expecting the manager to provide the keys to the cars left
behind.
“However, the manager Thursday morning gave a written
undertaking to produce a Customs vehicle duty payment documents to
support his claim that the vehicles were not smuggled.
“We assured him of prompt release of the vehicles as soon as
evidence of appropriate duty payments are presented.
“Unfortunately, we woke up to mischievous misrepresentation of
an otherwise professional engagement with the manager that had
nothing to do with the guests in the hotel.
“Some even went as far as saying that the operatives went from
room to rooms waking up guests to come out for vehicle
verification. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
“NCS did not do such thing and has no intention to start raiding
hotels. Our operatives never infringed on the rights and comfort of
guests in the hotel.”