Nigeria Customs seizes $578,000 from passenger at Lagos airport, hands it over to EFCC 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed Worldwide Airport (MMIA) Command, has handed over $578,000 in seized money to the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) after a passenger falsely declared the quantity on the airport, officers introduced on Friday.

The passenger, a male traveler arriving in Lagos from Johannesburg aboard South African Airways Flight SA60, initially declared $279,000 on the airport’s forex declaration desk.

Nevertheless, throughout a routine inspection, customs officers found a further $299,000 hid in a number of packages, bringing the full sum to $578,000.

Authorities additionally discovered €100 and a counterfeit $250 word among the many undeclared money.

Effiong Harrison, the Comptroller of MMIA Command, who oversaw the handover to the EFCC, said that the suspect’s actions violated the Cash Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2011. The legislation mandates that vacationers carrying greater than $10,000 or its equal in any overseas forex should declare it to customs officers.

“It is a clear violation of Nigeria’s monetary laws,” Harrison stated. “Vacationers should declare any money exceeding $10,000. The suspect failed to take action, concealing a major sum in an try to evade scrutiny. His failure to conform has led to the forfeiture of the funds and additional investigation.”

Harrison famous that the suspect’s worldwide passport and different related paperwork had additionally been handed over to the EFCC for mandatory authorized motion.

What to know 

Customs officers confused that monetary crimes reminiscent of cash laundering threaten Nigeria’s financial system and undermine investor confidence. Harrison reiterated the command’s dedication to implementing the legislation and stopping illicit monetary flows by means of Lagos’ worldwide airport.

“We’re working to make sure that Nigeria stays a protected and credible funding vacation spot,” Harrison stated. “Violations like this not solely tarnish our status but in addition affect our monetary establishments. We can not enable people to abuse the system for private achieve.” 

• The EFCC, Nigeria’s main anti-corruption company, has now taken over the case. Ahmed Ghali, the Appearing Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Workplace 2, recommended customs officers for his or her vigilance and urged vacationers to stick strictly to the legislation.

“Nobody is prohibited from carrying money, however full disclosure is required,” Ghali stated. “Trustworthy declaration is necessary, whatever the quantity. If vacationers observe the right procedures, they won’t encounter any points. Nevertheless, any try to evade these laws shall be met with the total drive of the legislation.” 

• The EFCC will now conduct additional investigations to find out the supply of the funds and whether or not the suspect was concerned in a bigger cash laundering scheme. Officers haven’t but launched the suspect’s id.
• The seizure highlights ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to clamp down on monetary crimes and guarantee transparency in monetary transactions. Through the years, airports have been key factors of interception for undeclared funds linked to cash laundering and illicit monetary actions.