By Willy Okonji-
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into a Dubai-bound passenger, Duru Damian, after he was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for allegedly failing to declare \$49,000.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, revealing that Damian was intercepted on Monday during a routine check at the AML/CFT Currency Declaration Desk.
“Upon his arrest, the suspect, who was scheduled to travel on Emirates Airline to Dubai, claimed he had only \$10,000 on him,” Oyewale said.
“However, when a search was conducted, a total of \$49,000 was discovered undeclared, bringing the sum to \$59,000.”
Handing over the seized funds to the EFCC, the Area Comptroller of Customs at the airport, Effiong Harrison, lamented the repeated disregard for currency declaration laws by some travellers.
“Today, we are having a process that we have been doing over a period of time now. When we intercept currencies, we do the needful of handing over to the appropriate agencies of government,” Harrison stated.
He added that despite continuous sensitization efforts, including public announcements and electronic signages at airports, some passengers still flout the law. “At intervals, we still have people who fail to adhere to the extant laws and regulations,” Harrison noted.
Receiving the suspect, the Acting Zonal Director of EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander Ahmed Ghali, vowed that the commission would remain firm in enforcing money laundering regulations.
“We are here to take over one of the recalcitrant Nigerians who do not want to abide with the law in relation to money laundering,” Ghali said. “We will not relent in enforcing the law. All that we are saying is that laws are meant to be obeyed, and anyone who violates them will not go scot-free.”
