Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have commenced an investigation into one Rajesh Kumar, an Indian national apprehended by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for allegedly attempting to travel out of Nigeria with undeclared foreign currency totaling $29,000.
According to a report by Hobnob News, Kumar was intercepted by Customs officers on Wednesday during a routine screening at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. He was en route to India and had only declared $6,000 at the time of his arrest, far below the actual amount in his possession.
While handing over the suspect to EFCC officials, Customs Area Comptroller E.I. Harrison emphasized the importance of inter-agency cooperation in safeguarding Nigeria’s economy.
“We have the mandate and the authority to make sure that whatever will be injurious to our economy is not allowed to take place, especially in this our Command.
So, today, on behalf of our Service, I want to formally hand over the money, passport, and file containing the statement of the passenger involved to the EFCC for further necessary actions,” Harrison said.
The EFCC, represented by Assistant Commander Ibinabo Amachree, who is also the Head of the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) in Lagos, received the suspect and pledged swift action. Amachree spoke on behalf of the Acting Zonal Director, Ahmed Ghali.
“This arrest will further enhance Nigeria’s image, especially as we work towards exiting the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List,” Amachree stated.
“It is one of the gains of our robust collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).”
The EFCC has taken custody of the suspect, the seized $29,000, his passport, and related documents. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the alleged financial misconduct.
