Man Arrested With $767k At Lagos Airport

CUSTOM-PERSONNEL

The Nigeria Customs Service on Friday arrested a Hong Kong-bound passenger at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, with $767,500.

The Customs Command at the airport said the passenger was arrested while boarding Emirates flight number EK782 to Hong Kong, via Dubai.

The Public Relations Officer of the Customs Service at the airport, Mrs Thelma Williams, said although the passenger declared the amount on the prescribed forms CDF1A and CDF1B, he could not explain satisfactorily the source of the money.

Williams said upon investigation, the suspect was observed to be a frequent traveller.

“He travelled between April 27 and Sept. 15, 2012 with $1.3m, which he took to Hong Kong.

“Also in Nov. 3, 2012, the suspect travelled with 10,000 dollars to China and the present case of Jan. 10 when he was caught trying to smuggle out 767,500 dollars to Hong Kong,” Williams said.

She said the passenger and the amount had been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation.

Last year, the EFCC said close to $100million was seized from travellers at the airports, trying to smuggle the money abroad.