Nigeria Customs intercepts $193,000 hidden in yogurt carton at Abuja Airport 

The suspect, a passenger on Ethiopian Airlines Flight No. 951 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, failed to declare the cash upon arrival, violating Nigerian financial regulations, Customs officials said.

Abdullahi Maiwada, the spokesperson for the NCS, said the seizure resulted from a targeted intelligence operation and a meticulous baggage inspection.

“Acting on intelligence, Customs officers carried out a detailed examination, leading to the discovery of the concealed cash,” Maiwada said. 

Customs officials said the suspect’s luggage was flagged using advanced scanning technology, which revealed unusual density within the yogurt carton. Upon further inspection, officers uncovered the hidden cash.

“The use of modern detection technology was instrumental in uncovering this attempt to move large sums of money undeclared,” Maiwada said. 

The funds have since been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and potential prosecution. The EFCC, Nigeria’s top anti-corruption agency, investigates financial crimes, including money laundering and illicit financial flows.

“As required by law, we are handing over the forfeited funds to the EFCC for further necessary action,” Maiwada added. 

The seizure is part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen financial transparency at its borders. In recent years, authorities have tightened enforcement to prevent the smuggling of undeclared funds.

With authorities ramping up enforcement at Nigeria’s international airports, officials have warned that failure to declare large cash sums could lead to seizure, prosecution, and forfeiture under the country’s stringent financial regulations.