By Godfrey Bivbere

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS Tuesday said it intercepted illegal funds amounting to $8.065 million at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMA, Command of the Service.

The Service also disclosed that its 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 17^th 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 big Bagco bags while one suspected, the driver of the bus identified as Chimezie Okonkwo was arrested and taken into custody with the intercepted consignment.

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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.

VANGUARD