Lagos police nab fake Customs officer over N1.8m US shipment fraud

The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended a man for allegedly impersonating a Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officer in the state.

The command detained the man for allegedly orchestrating a N1.8 million shipment scam by claiming he could clear goods purportedly sent from the United States.

It was gathered that the suspect allegedly deceived the complainant into paying N520,000 as part payment for the purported clearing and delivery charges before becoming unreachable.

The suspect was tracked down and arrested following an investigation into allegations of obtaining money by false pretence, impersonation, and stealing.

The investigation was launched after the victim filed a petition with the police.

Following the report, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, to intensify investigation to ensure a thorough probe of the case.

A police source disclosed on Saturday that the case began on July 15 when the suspect contacted the complainant, claiming that his goods shipped from the U.S. had arrived in Nigeria.

The source said: “To make the claim appear genuine, the suspect forwarded a purported shipping label and a tracking number before demanding N1.8 million as delivery and clearing charges for the consignment.

“Believing the representation to be genuine, the complainant agreed to pay the amount and made an initial payment of N520,000, with the balance to be paid upon delivery of the goods.

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“The suspect became unreachable immediately after receiving the part payment and stopped responding to the complainant’s telephone calls.”

The source said further investigation revealed that the suspect also falsely presented himself as a clearing agent to give credibility to the scheme.

He said a purported Customs identity card bearing the suspect’s name, along with another identification card portraying him as a superintendent, was recovered.

He added that the items were allegedly used to impersonate public officials and facilitate the fraud.

The policeman said the suspect was lured to the location to collect the outstanding balance of the money.

“He was arrested on arrival at the agreed meeting point by detectives who had laid an ambush,” the police officer disclosed, adding that investigations were ongoing to determine whether the suspect has defrauded other victims using a similar method.

He said the suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigations.