Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a sum of $193,000 in cash concealed inside a carton of yoghurt at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The discovery was made on Thursday by officers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, acting on credible intelligence. The National Public Relations Officer of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, confirmed the interception in a statement on Friday.
He noted that the suspect, identified as Kamilu Abdullahi Sarina, a 40-year-old passenger who arrived from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Ethiopian Airlines flight number 951, was caught attempting to smuggle the undeclared cash into Nigeria.
According to the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the FCT Command, Olumide Adebisi, the seizure was made following a detailed baggage inspection prompted by intelligence reports.
“Around the early hours of today, we received an intelligence report, which proved very helpful. This afternoon, one Kamilu Abdullahi Sarina, who boarded Ethiopian Airlines from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was found concealing a total sum of $193,000 inside a carton of yoghurt,” Adebisi stated.
Adebisi explained that the suspect failed to comply with Nigeria’s financial regulations, which mandate the declaration of any amount exceeding $10,000 upon arrival or departure.
The failure to declare such funds violates the Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act of 2023.
“The law clearly states that if a person has funds above $10,000, they must declare it to Customs. Failure to do so could result in the forfeiture of the money, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both,” he said.
Advanced scanning technology played a crucial role in detecting the concealed cash. Adebisi noted that an unusual density was detected in the suspect’s luggage during the scanning process, prompting officers to conduct a thorough inspection.
“We allowed him to proceed but closely monitored his baggage. Upon further inspection, we discovered that the density was irregular, so we instructed him to return. In his presence, we checked the package and found the undeclared money hidden inside the yoghurt carton,” he explained.
Following the interception, the seized funds were 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 money to the EFCC for further necessary action,” Adebisi stated.
The CAC reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to enforcing financial regulations and preventing illicit financial flows across Nigeria’s borders.
He issued a stern warning to travelers attempting to bypass financial declaration rules, emphasizing that such violations would attract severe legal consequences.
“All travelers must comply with Nigeria’s financial regulations, particularly the legal requirement to declare any cash or negotiable instruments exceeding the approved threshold when traveling in or out of the country,” Adebisi cautioned.
He added that the NCS would continue collaborating with other enforcement agencies, particularly the EFCC, to strengthen border security and combat financial crimes.
The Customs Service urged all travelers and stakeholders to remain vigilant and adhere to lawful financial practices to avoid legal repercussions.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
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