The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a cash sum of $193,000 concealed inside a yogurt carton at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In a statement on Friday, NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada said the discovery was made by officers from the Federal Capital Territory Command during a baggage inspection on Thursday.
Customs Area Controller Olumide Adebisi disclosed that the suspect, Kamilu Abdullahi Sarina, 40, had arrived in Nigeria from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 951.
Acting on intelligence, customs officials thoroughly examined his luggage and found the undeclared money.
Adebisi explained that the undeclared cash breached financial regulations, including the Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act of 2023, both of which require passengers to declare any funds exceeding $10,000 upon entering or leaving Nigeria.
Customs officials used advanced scanning technology to detect irregularities in the suspect’s baggage.
“We noticed an unusual density in his luggage and subjected it to further scrutiny, leading to the discovery of the cash,” Adebisi stated.
The seized money has been transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and potential prosecution.
The NCS warned travelers against attempting to bypass financial declaration laws, emphasizing that those who fail to comply will face legal repercussions.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with relevant authorities to combat financial crimes and ensure strict enforcement of currency regulations.