The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has successfully intercepted undeclared foreign currencies valued at approximately N2.28 billion. The significant seizure occurred at the Lagos airport and involved an Austrian national who was attempting to smuggle the funds out of the country.

Comptroller Chidi Nwokorie, the Customs Area Controller for the MMIA Command, provided details of the operation during a press briefing in Lagos. He identified the suspect as Mr. Kavlak Onal, an Austrian citizen, who was apprehended by officers of the Anti-Money Laundering Unit on Saturday, December 13. Onal was preparing to board an Emirates Airlines flight destined for Dubai when the interception took place.

During questioning, Customs officers inquired if Mr. Onal had any currency to declare, to which he responded negatively. However, a subsequent thorough search of his luggage revealed a substantial amount of foreign currency discreetly concealed within his travelling bag. The concealed funds amounted to 651,505 euros and 800,575 dollars. When converted to Naira, these amounts collectively reached an estimated N2.28 billion, significantly exceeding the legally permitted declaration threshold of 10,000 dollars or its equivalent.

Comptroller Nwokorie emphasized that this interception aligns with the extant laws that empower the Customs Service to combat illicit financial flows and enforce anti-money laundering regulations across Nigeria's borders. He specifically cited Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995; Sections 3(3 to 5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022; and Section 55(1) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, as the legal framework underpinning their actions.

Nwokorie further highlighted that the officers of the command resisted various attempts at compromise, ensuring that the funds were successfully prevented from being smuggled out of the country. He issued a stern warning that failure to declare foreign currency exceeding the approved threshold would lead to prosecution and forfeiture of the funds. He clarified that while carrying foreign currency above 10,000 dollars is not inherently an offense, the act of failing to declare, making a false declaration, or under-declaring constitutes a clear violation of the law. He advised legitimate travelers to always make honest declarations at designated currency declaration desks in airport arrival and departure halls to avoid legal repercussions.

Following the interception, Mr. Onal, his international passport, and the seized currencies were formally handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation. Mr. Richard Adejumo, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, commended the Customs Service for the effective inter-agency collaboration. He affirmed that the EFCC would take over the investigation, ensuring a thorough and just handling of the case, and praised the synergy that led to the significant seizure of undeclared funds at the airport.