The Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed Airport Command, yesterday said it arrested one passenger on an alleged money laundering offence who was in possession of $137,435 at the international wing of the Lagos airport.
The passenger identified as Mr. Chukwuonu Nnaemeka John, was travelling to China with textbooks published in Nigeria with the purpose of re- importing them back to Nigeria which is a copyright offence.
Addressing reporters at the Customs Command Office at the cargo wing? of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, the Customs Area Controller, Eporwei? Charles Edike explained that the passenger only declared seventy thousand? dollars.
But, when officials carried out search on the textbooks, they discovered that sixty seven thousand and four hundred and thirty seven dollars (67,437),was found that was not declared.
He explained that the area command has put in place measures to hand over the passenger to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
He said it has become imperative for Customs at the airport to comply with government regulations as it affects foreign exchange in line with the Customs and Excise Management Act.
The Customs boss explained that since September 24, 2012 when the office received a letter from the EFCC, it has thereafter put in place a collaborative working arrangement with the command currency declaration officers at the international airport.