A significant cash haul of $193,000 concealed inside a carton of yoghurt has been intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

According to Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer for NCS, the interception was the result of credible intelligence and a thorough baggage inspection.

The funds were found in the luggage of Kamilu Abdullahi Sarina, a 40-year-old passenger who had arrived on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 951 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The Customs Area Controller for the Federal Capital Territory Command, Olumide Adebisi, revealed that the suspect’s luggage was flagged due to “irregular density” detected during a scan.

“Upon further inspection, we discovered that the density was irregular, so we instructed him to return. In his presence, we checked the package and found the undeclared money hidden inside the yogurt carton,” Adebisi stated.

The amount of money, exceeding the legal threshold of $10,000, violated Nigeria’s Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022. Under this law, travelers must declare any cash or negotiable instruments exceeding $10,000 to Customs.

Failure to do so can result in severe penalties, including the forfeiture of the funds and up to two years in prison.

Adebisi emphasized, “The law clearly states that if a person has funds above $10,000, they must declare it to Customs. Failure to do so could result in the forfeiture of the money, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both.”

The intercepted money has now been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

Adebisi warned that anyone attempting to bypass financial regulations will face strict legal consequences, adding, “Non-compliance with these regulations violates Nigerian law and attracts severe penalties.”

The Customs Service continues to work closely with other agencies, such as the EFCC, to combat illicit financial flows and reinforce border security.