The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command has successfully intercepted $193,000 in undeclared foreign currency, hidden inside a carton of yoghurt, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The illicit fund of $193,000 (₦300,480,000, based on an exchange rate of ₦1,560 to $1), was intercepted following credible intelligence and a thorough baggage inspection of an arriving passenger.
Speaking to journalists at the airport’s International Wing, Customs Area Controller Comptroller Olumide Adebisi revealed that the suspect, 40-year-old Kamilu Abdullahi Sarina, arrived in Nigeria aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight No. 951 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
He said acting on intelligence received earlier that day, Customs officers carried out a meticulous inspection, which led to the discovery of the concealed funds.
Comptroller Adebisi further explained that the undeclared cash violated both the Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which require travellers to declare any amount exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent in negotiable instruments upon arrival or departure.
“The law is clear: any traveller carrying over $10,000 must declare it to Customs. Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of the funds, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both,” he stated.
The seized $193,000 (₦300,480,000) has since been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and legal action.
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Job well done.