Customs intercept $578,000 undeclared cash, hand over suspect to EFCC
The Nigeria Customs Service's Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command has announced the seizure of $578,000 in undeclared cash from an inbound passenger arriving from South Africa.John Harrison, the Customs Area Controller at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, revealed the interception to journalists on Friday.
Harrison stated that the suspect, Mr. Okorie Sunday, arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, with the undeclared cash hidden on his body.
He stated that the passenger's suspicious behaviour upon arrival prompted officers to conduct a search, resulting in the discovery of the money.
"The passenger was said to have declared $279,000 and concealed $299,000 on his body, bringing the total amount to $578,000. This violates the $10,000 threshold set by law," Harrison said.
Harrison also revealed that the suspect had hidden £100 and counterfeit $250 among the cash.
He explained that the money was counted and verified by both Customs officials and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission agents before being turned over to the anti-corruption agency for further investigation.
The CAC stated that such illegal behaviour jeopardises the integrity of the nation's financial system.
Harrison stated that Customs has placed declaration forms at all airline counters so that passengers can legally declare any cash in their possession.
While receiving the intercepted funds, the EFCC's Acting Zonal Director, Ahmed Ghali, warned the public against such offences and advised that any cash exceeding $10,000 must be declared in accordance with the law.
Ghali also stated that such acts expose the country to the risk of money laundering and may tarnish its image by portraying it as a hub for illicit financial inflows.
He stated that the EFCC would thoroughly investigate the matter, including verifying the authenticity of the seized funds, before proceeding with any further investigations.
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