Don’t Buy Cars With Altered VIN, It’s An Offence Liable To N2m Fine Or 2 Years Imprisonment, Customs Warns

Don’t buy cars with altered VIN, it is an offence liable to N2m fine or 2 years imprisonment, Nigeria Customs warns.

NCS says car smugglers now alter the VINs of smuggled cars to evade arrest or to manipulate the payment of duty.

Urged the public to always examine the VIN on the windscreen and chassis of car they intend to buy to see if it hasn’t been altered.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’, has warned against buying of cars with altered Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) or chassis number, noting that it is a punishable offence.

The Comptroller of the Unit, Comptroller Chedi Wada, gave the warning while briefing journalists on the items seized during the period, including 12 unit of smuggled used vehicles.

According to him, car smugglers now alter the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) of smuggled cars to evade arrest or to manipulate the payment of duty.

• See Also : Nigeria Customs Cancels 25% Penalty On Improperly Imported Vehicles

Comptroller Wada urged the general public to always check the VINs on the windscreen and the chassis of the vehicles they intend to buy to see if they haven’t been altered.

Citing legal repercussions, Comptroller Wada said :

“Let me use this opportunity to draw the attention of the public concerning the act of altering VIN (Chassis Number) of vehicles by smugglers to evade arrest or to manipulate the payment of duty.

“I want the concerned citizens to always examine the VIN on the windscreen and that on the chassis (skeleton) of the vehicle they intend buying because it is an offence under Section 236 (b) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and the offender is liable to a fine of N2, 000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of two years, or both”.

Wada urged the public to take advantage of the 90-day window to regularize improperly imported vehicles. He also acknowledged the government’s efforts to ease the financial burden on citizens, particularly with the suspension of penalties on such imports.

• See Also : Charge Import Duties In Naira Instead Of In Dollar, NACCIMA Boss Tells Customs