LAGOS – Officials of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) arrested a passenger who had in his possession, $1, 909, 140 (about N320 million) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
The passenger, identified as Mr. Ani Paulinus Onyeka had come into the country aboard an Asky Airlines flight from Congo Democratic Republic (CDR) yesterday, January 11th 2014.
The stash was discovered during a routine search on his luggage where he concealed the money and he was found guilty of not declaring it to Customs officials at the currency desk on arrival in Nigeria.
The Customs said his non-declaration of the exact amount he came into the country with violated extant regulations on the movement of large sums of foreign currencies into Nigeria.
According to the Customs Public Relations Officer, Airport Command, Mrs. Thelma Williams, the passenger did not declare the exact amount he concealed in his luggage, which was discovered after a physical examination by Customs personnel at the baggage hall of the airport.
“During the inward clearance of Asky flight, No KP 041 from Congo Democratic Republic on February 9, 2014, at 12:30hrs; one Mr. Ani Paulinus Onyeka, with a Nigerian passport No A00923933, upon normal routine examination, his luggage was found to contain the sum of $1,620,000 carefully concealed.
“On physical counting of the money, it was discovered to be $1,909,140 as against $1,620,000 earlier discovered when the passenger was apprehended .
Williams further confirmed to journalists that the passenger and the said currency have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives for further investigation.
