Customs arrests forgers of govt certificates, seals

Posted by admin Headlines Saturday, September 7th, 2013

Bank tellers found in their hideout

Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A Ikeja, Lagos of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have arrested members of a syndicate that specialises in the forgery of various government import documents including the seal of the Comptroller General of the NCS.At a raid of the syndicate’s ‘office’ at 5a Railway, Apapa on Wednesday, seven members of the gang were arrested.

Commenting on the development, the Customs Controller, FOU, Nuhu Isa Mahmud while briefing the media in Lagos on Friday, said fake bank tellers and other restricted documents were found in their possession.

Mahmud noted that the syndicate literally ran a parallel service which has robbed the country of colossal amount of money.

He also said that the raid was carried out by operatives of the unit who acted on a tip-off. “The team arrived the location at exactly 1600hrs and recovered the following exhibits:

1) Two (2) Fake Seals For Serial Numbering2) Two (2) Fake Seals Of The Comptroller-General Of Customs3) Blank Original Copies Of Auction Sale/Allocation Of Overtime/Abandoned Goods.4) Fake Seal Of The Customs Area Controller Tin Can Island Port5) Assorted Coloured Biros6) Various Companies Stamps7) Fake Exit Permit Stamp For Customs8) Assorted Stakeholders And Port Operations Stamps9) Fake Stamp Of Oc Valuation Seat Kirikiri Lighter Terminal10) Olodi-Apapa Secondary School Stamp11)Wema Bank Stamp – Idiroko Branch12)Fake Stamp Oc Vehicle Seat Idiroko(A Total Of Eighteen (18) Stamps.)

13) Nine (9) GSM phones/one (1) UPS. 14)Photocopies Of Original Documents. 15)Various Blank Bank Tellers Of Different Banks. 16)Shipping Tags With Inscription (Lagos).17)Large Quantity Of Sgd File Jacket.18) Blank Customs Vehicles Duty Certificates.19)Valuation Assessment Forms For Various Custom Formations. 20)A Register For Documentation Of Prepared Document. 21)Change Of Ownership Forms. 22)Certificates Of Incorporation Belonging To Various Companies. 23)Blank Booklet For Payment Schedule (Form Sale 156). 24)Blank Booklet For Certificate Of Entry (Form Sale 157). 25)Sworn Affidavit By One Alhaji Sani Mohammed.

-Sunwp_posts