THE NIGERIA Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command has handed over $578,000 seized from a male passenger to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Handing over the foreign currency to the EFCC in Lagos on Friday, the Comptroller in charge of (MMIA) Command, Effiong Harrison said that the money was falsely declared by the passenger at the airport.
Harrison, who handed over the intercepted currency following the directive of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, said the suspect’s action was in contravention of the provisions of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.
The command head said the passenger’s International Passport and other relevant documents were also handed over to the EFCC for necessary action.
He said: ‘The suspect (name withheld), a male passenger with Passport Number A13384205 arrived on board a South African Airways Flight SA60 from Johannesburg on Wednesday.
“He approached the Currency Declaration Desk and declare a total $279,000. Upon examination, additional sum of $299,000 was discovered neatly concealed in different packages thereby bringing the total sum to $578,000.
“Also concealed was €100 and a counterfeit $250. This is in contravention of the provisions of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.
“This Act stipulates that any currency or other forms of negotiable instruments where the value exceeds $10,000 threshold or its equivalent must be properly declared for inbound and outbound passengers.”
Harrison said the command was committed to arresting and stopping unlawful activities that had brought the country into disrepute.
He said that Customs was ready and continuously working together as an organisation of the government to ensure that those who are engaged in money laundering do not use international airport in Lagos for their criminal activities.
“We promote a situation whereby the country is safe. As an investment destination, we want to promote a system, whereby investors have confidence to come to Nigeria to do business in line with government Policies.
“We are working for the safety of all our financial institutions in this country. People are not comfortable with what is going on.
“The economic policies are not being adhered to and we are losing revenue because of the activities of people like this. So, they are undermining the Integrity of the financial institutions.
“The suspect should have told the truth and declared accordingly, but he did not and so he has contravened.
“We have to him handover to the relevant government agency. Which are represented here today. Handover the money and his travelling documents and all other information that he has given to us voluntarily to the EFCC for further investigation,” Harrison said.
While receiving the suspect and the foreign currencies, the Acting Director, Lagos office 2 of the EFCC, Mr Ahmed Ghali commended the efforts of the comptroller and officers of the command.
Ghali urges members of the public to be wary of such act, adding that the provision of the law was very clear on money declaration.
He explained that passengers were allowed to carry along 10,000 dollars that any additional money would be declared.
“No matter how much is the amount, all what the law requires upon the traveller is mandatory that honest declaration is required.
“I’ll leave the rest to us. Nobody will stop you from travelling with your cash in as much as you declare, no matter the amount. (NAN)
