The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS)’s Mertra Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) command intercepted $578,000 in cash and handed it to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), after a further investigation was conducted after a traveler’s false currency statement.
The suspect flew from Johannesburg to Lagos, South African Airlines, from Johannesburg on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, initially announced $279,000 on the currency declaration table.
However, further inspections found an additional $299,000 hidden in various packages, totaling $578,000. Authorities also found 100 euros and 250 dollars forgery.
According to Customs, the lawsuits of the suspect violated the Money Laundering (Injunction) Act of 20021, which requires individuals to declare any currency or transferable instruments exceeding $10,000. False statements led to the transfer of the suspect to the appropriate authorities for further action.
