Customs Intercepts Undeclared $49,000 Cash at Lagos Airport, Hands Over Suspect to EFCC
Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Area Command, have arrested a passenger attempting to travel with $49,000 in undeclared cash and handed him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution.
The arrest was made on Monday evening, August 11, when the passenger, booked on an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai, declared only $10,000 at a Customs checkpoint. Upon verification, officers discovered an additional $49,000 concealed in his possession.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Effiong Harrison, said the offence contravenes the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Section 50 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which require travellers to declare cash or equivalent instruments exceeding $10,000 when entering or leaving the country.
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“Despite sustained public sensitisation and repeated travel announcements at the airport, some passengers still choose to flout the law,” Harrison said. “The CGC of Customs has directed that we remain vigilant to ensure money laundering activities do not thrive here. Our officers are trained, equipped, and on duty round the clock to enforce compliance.”
The suspect, a Nigerian national, was transferred to the EFCC along with the seized funds, travel documents, and other evidence.
Acting Zonal Director of EFCC’s Lagos Command, Ahmed Gali, commended the Customs Service for its vigilance and inter-agency collaboration. “This partnership has continued to yield positive results for the nation. We will investigate thoroughly, ensure justice is served, and use this case as a deterrent to others,” he said.
Both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to public sensitisation on currency declaration laws and warned that violations would attract the full weight of the law.
By PRNigeria
