Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS
yesterday said it has intercepted illegal funds amounting to N1.045 trillion
($8.065 million) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMA, Command of
the Service.
The Service also disclosed that it’s
Federal Operations Unit, FOU; Zone A, impounded 147 sacks of Pangolin Scale
weighing 9.504.1 kilograms worth N10.2 billion.
Disclosing this to journalists the
FOU office at Ikeja, Comptroller General of Customs, CGC, Col. Hameed Ali, said
that officials of the Service acting of information on the 17th of
January, intercepted the illegal movement of the foreign currency at the ‘E’
wing of the tarmac.
The Customs boss said the
consignment packed in a coastal Bus was loaded in six Bagco bags while one
suspect, the driver of the bus identified as Chimezie Okonkwo was arrested and
taken into custody with the intercepted consignment.
In his words, “Acting on credible
information, the Command operatives at about 1200 hours on the 16 January 2020,
intercepted illegal movement of foreign currency at the ‘E’ wing of the tarmac.
“The consignment packed in a coastal
bus was loaded in six big bagco bags. One suspect, the driver of the bus,
Chimezie Okonkwo was arrested and taken into custody with the intercepted
consignment.
“On Saturday, 18 January 2020, an
inventory of the consignment was taken and was witnessed by representatives of
the Directorate of State Security, DSS, Customs Intelligence Unit, CIU,
Anti-Money-Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Unit, Customs Police and
the Suspect.
“At the end of the inventory taking,
a total number of 20 sealed wraps were opened, counted, re-seated and re-wrapped
under video coverage from the beginning of the exercise to the end.
“The total amount intercepted stood
at $8.065 million and it remains in safe custody while preliminary
investigations have commenced on the seizure,” he said.
On the seized pangolin scale, the
Customs boss said “On
19th January 2020, the Roving Team of the Federal Operations Unit
while on credible intelligence uncovered an abandoned warehouse at Isheri
Estate Lagos where 2 x 20ft containers were stacked.
“The
Containers were immediately excavated to the premises of FOU Zone A, Ikeja
where physical examination revealed 147 sacks weighing 9,504.1kg of pangolin
scales worth N10.2 billion.
“A
total number of 3,067 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice (50kg), 3,722 of
25 litres and 1040 of 4.73 litres foreign vegetable oil, 14 units of exotics
vehicles, 575 pieces of used tyres, 703 cartoons of foreign poultry products,
543 jerry cans of petroleum products, 416 bales of used clothing, among others
were seized with a DPV OF N303, 244,066.00 making a cumulative paid value of
N10.5 billion from January 7th to February 3rd this year.
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