EFCC Investigates Man Caught with $578,000 at Lagos Airport for Alleged Cash Smuggling

By John Ogele 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into Mr. Okorie Sunday, a man arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for attempting to smuggle $578,000 into the country.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, stating that the suspect will be charged in court once the investigation is completed.

According to Oyewale, the Area Comptroller of Customs at the airport, Effiong Harrison, handed over Mr. Sunday to the EFCC on Friday after the suspect falsely declared currency upon his arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday. Sunday declared $279,000 at the Currency Declaration Desk. However, customs officers later discovered an additional $299,000 hidden in separate packages, bringing the total undeclared amount to $578,000.

Further inspection also revealed that the suspect was carrying €100 and a counterfeit $250 note, further complicating his breach of currency declaration laws.

Harrison condemned the act, stressing that it violated the Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2011, which mandates that individuals declare any sum above $10,000 or its equivalent when entering or leaving the country.

Speaking on behalf of the Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, Harrison confirmed that the $578,000 would be formally handed over to the EFCC for continued investigation.

In receiving the suspect, the EFCC’s Acting Zonal Director in Lagos, Ahmed Ghali, commended Customs for their cooperation and emphasized the significance of inter-agency collaboration. He reiterated the importance of declaring any amount exceeding $10,000 when entering or exiting Nigeria, in line with the country's anti-money laundering regulations.

Ghali further cautioned the public against making false declarations, warning that violators would face the full force of the law. "We will not permit any action that undermines financial transparency," he said, adding that such actions harm the country's economy, tarnish its global image, and increase the risks of money laundering.

He also pledged to continue collaborating with relevant agencies to strengthen Nigeria’s economy and financial system.