Revealed: Customs website hacked by man who imports vehicles with forged documents

- A supposed freight forwarder, identified as Abayomi Adewunmi, has been arrested by the police in Lagos for hacking the Nigerian Customs Service website

- Adewunmi made his way into the agency's username and password to sell vehicles using falsified documents

- His case at the magistrate court in the Ogba area of the state has been adjourned to Wednesday, June 20

The police in Lagos has arrested a mid age man (54 years) identified as Abayomi Adewunmi, for allegedly forging the licence of a Lagos-based firm, Nucleus Ventures Limited, to import vehicles into Nigeria.

According to the police, Adewunmi alongside his accomplices who are presently in hiding hacked into the company’s data on the website of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to process shipping documents, and use them to import two Toyota Prado Jeeps, a Toyota 4runner and a Mercedes Benz GLE.

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Punch reported that operatives of the Customs uncovered the crime after the vehicles had been cleared, and withheld its licence for import, notifying the firm which deals in the production of paper products.

A letter requesting for assistance in discovering the documents of the vehicles was addressed to the Lagos state ministry of transportation. Using the information provided by the ministry, the the Customs tracked down Adewunmi and reported the case at the Olosan police station

The police reported that Adewunmi altered the data of the firm on the website after hacking its username and password.

An unnamed police source told newsmen: “A representative of the company reported to the police that the Nigeria Customs Service sometime in October 2017 notified it of an unlawful use of its licence to import vehicles by some fraudulent persons who hacked into the company’s data on the agency’s website.

“After a thorough investigation the four vehicles imported via the forged company’s documents were identified. A manhunt was launched for the suspect linked with the vehicles and he was arrested.”

The source, however, said Adewunmi, who is a freight forwarder, denied the crime, but admitted to have imported one of the Prado Jeeps having been aided by a Customs officer.

The informant said: “The suspect said one Gbenga approached him to help procure assessment for payment of Customs duty for a Prado Jeep and that he sent the details of the vehicle to a Customs officer, one Iheanacho, to help generate the assessment.

"He said he was angry when he saw the name of the company on the documents. The suspect could not provide the necessary details for the police to trace the said Iheanacho,” the source added.

Adewunmi was consequently arraigned on Wednesday, May 29, before an Ogba magistrate’s court on a seven count-charge bordering on forgery.

Inspector Koti Aondohemba, the police prosecutor, told the court that the offence contravened sections 365(1), 366(1-3), 387, 388 389, 390 and 411 of the criminal law of Lagos state enacted in 2015.

The charge sheet partly read: “That you, Abayomi Adewunmi, and others at large on October 3, 2017, about 1:55pm, at the Lagos Magisterial District did impersonate Nucleus Ventures Limited and falsely represented yourself as its authorised agent before the Nigeria Customs Service.

“That you and others at large, did unlawfully hack into the computer network and data of Nucleus Ventures Limited within the Nigeria Customs Service website, using its username and password and unlawfully used the identity of the company to obtain and process shipping documents.

“That you and others at large, did unlawfully hack into the computer network and data of Nucleus Ventures Limited within the Nigeria Customs Service website, using its username and password to knowingly input and modify the data of the company to illegally obtain and process shipping documents, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

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However, Adewunmi pleaded not guilty to the charges and filed for summary trial. He was granted bail by the presiding magistrate, O.A. Tanimola, in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. The case was adjourned till Wednesday, June 20, for mention.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a large quantity of tramadol tablet allegedly smuggled from India had been reportedly intercepted by the Tincan Island command of the NCS.

Legit.ng gathered that the shipment in containers was said to be intercepted by customs officers after a failed attempt to smuggle them out of the seaport.

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Source: Legit.ng