The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Wednesday impounded two truckloads of fake tyres worth N10 million from a warehouse in Awka.
The warehouse located at a residential building on Zik Ave., Awka, was discovered following intelligence reports, according to the organisation.
Speaking with newsmen, the Head of the organisation in Anambra, Mr Samuel Ayuba, said the raid was part of the national campaign to rid the country of fake and substandard tyres.
He said that substandard tyres included those that had been used or stayed for up to six years, saying they had caused a lot crashes and deaths.
“With our surveillance, we identified where this business is thriving and now we are on a raid, the target is to remove all substandard tyres from circulation in Anambra.
“Some of them got wind of our operation today and they took off and moved their tyres to secret places and here in this residential building. You can see a large quantity of these substandard tyres.
“These are tyres that have been used in other countries, produced for very temperate regions and even made for short distances like agricultural purposes but these people import them, clean them and sell them to our people.
“The seizures we made here are in the upward of N10 million. This now amounts to economic loss to the country,” he said.
Mr John Obi, one of the dealers in the product, said that their business was genuine and wondered why they should be the ones to bear the brunt of the loss.
“The issue of used tyres should be addressed at the ports and borders if the government wants to remove them from the markets,’’ he said.
Also speaking, a motorists who preferred anonymity, said the clampdown on used tyres would further worsen the plight of the users, as they were economically cheaper.