Customs Intercepts $578,000 From Passengers At Lagos Airport

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Friday, announced the Interception of a total of $578,000 from an inbound passenger coming into Nigeria from South Africa.

Announcing the seizure at a press briefing in Lagos, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller John Harrison, said Mr Okorie Silvanus Sunday came into the country on Wednesday 19th March 2025 with the money undeclared and hidden in his body

Harrison said the passenger who came in from South Africa on Wednesday March 19, 2025 started acting suspicious thereby necessitating further search by Customs Officers on duty.

The passenger was said to have declared $279,000 hid $299,000 on his body which contravene the threshold of 10,000 USD approved by law.

The cash which was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was jointly counted and value confirmed by customs and the anti graft agency.

According to the Controller, the passenger had $299,000 hidden in his body which contravened the threshold of 10,000 USD approved by law.

Harrison said such unlawful behaviour undermines the integrity of the nation’s financial system. He disclosed that customs has provided forms at the counters of all airlines to allow passengers make the lawful declaration

Acting Zonal Director Ahmed Ghali ,who received the money on behalf of EFCC, urged members of the public to avoid such crimes advising that any cash in excess of 10,000 USD should be declared as provided by law

He added that such act exposes the country to money laundering and could make the country look like a hub for illicit financial inflows.

He added that the EFCC will investigate and verify if the money is genuine or fake while taking further investigative action