Customs suspends Panalpina, John Holt, 76 others

Dele Aderibigbe, Lagos - 04.02.2008

The Nigeria Customs Service has suspended logistics giant, Panalpina World Transport, along with John Holt Shipping and 76 customs licensed agencies over what it described as sharp practices.

The suspension order, which would also extend to their cargo activities even at the land borders, according to the Customs, was for suspected fraudulent activities including clearing containers at the ports with falsified clearing documents.

Panalpina alone was alleged to have denied the Federal Government revenues put at over N2 billion, with the other companies’ alleged fraudulent activities bringing the total amount lost to over N3.5 billion.

The Customs, in the course of investigation, had first written a letter with reference number NCS\ T&T\ 054\ CHQ\ VO\ 1 and signed by Mrs. Sulaiman H .K, Comptroller, Licences and Permits, directing detailed investigations of the 78 affected companies accused of contravening the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP 45 LFN section 156 sub-section 5 (2) 2004.

One of the organisations allegedly successfully brought in and cleared eight containers, beating all hurdles and restrictions, and was actually on the way to a designated warehouse before it was intercepted by the men of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A.

The Customs issued a suspension order with reference number NCS\ INV\ 76\ 2007 ABJ\ HQ in January, 2008 stipulating that in line with the provision of CEMA CAP 45 LFN section 156 subsections 5 (2) 2004 that “the Comptroller General of Customs has, therefore, directed that your operating license be suspended with immediate effect,” adding that the companies were no longer allowed to operate in any Customs area command in Nigeria.