The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted and seized an undeclared cash totaling $193,000 concealed in a carton of yogurt at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The cash according to a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the spokesman of the Service, Abdullahi Maiwada was brought into Nigeria aboard and Ethiopian Airline flight 951 from Jedda, Saudi Arabia.
The seizure was made on Thursday as the flight came in from the Middle East nation.
Sponsored Ad
According to the NSC statement, the interception was made possible by crack intelligence that assisted the Service “Acting on intelligence, Customs officers conducted a detailed inspection, leading to the discovery of the concealed cash,” the statement read in part.
Explaining the reason behind the seizure, the NCS stated that the undeclared funds violate the Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Both Acts mandate that travelers carrying over $10,000 (or its equivalent in negotiable instruments) must declare it to Customs upon arrival or departure.
Mr Maiwada further explained that advanced scanning technology helped detect the unusual density of the suspect’s luggage.
“The seized money has been formally handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“As required by law, we are handing over the forfeited funds to the EFCC for further necessary action,” he stated,