Customs Intercepts Vehicle Loaded With N71m Cash

The Katsina Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has intercepted a vehicle loaded with more than N71,350,000 suspected to be for laundering. 

 Acting Controller at the command, Dalhat Wada-Chedi, made the disclosure on Monday, November 29, while briefing newsmen on the achievements of the command for the month of November 2021. 

He said three suspects were arrested at Dan Isa community, located at the bank of Niger Republic with the said amount in the middle of the night.

"While intensifying our search on anti-smuggling activities on Katsina-Jibia border axis, we arrested three suspects with N71.350 million Naira cash inside the booth of an ash coloured Toyota Corolla along Katsina Jibia axis exit. The said amount was stashed inside a ghana must go bag.”

According to Wada-Chedi, what warranted the arrest is that the suspects were “in possession of over $10,000 undeclared money, dead of the night, at the border exit route as well as in the place where the border is officially closed."

"What are they doing with N71,350,000 cash at that hour! We brought the money, the suspects and the vehicle to the command. We counted the money, informed the customs headquarters and then took the money to Central Bank Katsina for safekeeping.

"However, we granted the suspects an administrative bail as the case has been transferred to the headquarters as investigations are ongoing.” Wada-Chedi said.

He said the command also intercepted 230 parcels of Indian hemp worth more than N18.1 million in November. 

"The Indian hemp was intercepted in a truck and the total value of Indian hemp and truck is N25.9 million,’’ he said.

He added that the command intercepted eight vehicles with a total value of N14.4 million also in November.

"Smuggled rice, spaghetti, vegetable oil, potash and medicaments were also seized by the command in the course of November, he said.

"We also intercepted cartons of foreign milk creamer, kegs and sacks of petroleum products, diesel, second-hand clothes and baby clothes.

"Also, pieces of three different types of jack knives and bags of tiger nuts with a total value of N46.5 million were seized in November,’’ he said. 

"Within the month of November, we succeeded in arresting five suspects and different items worth over N176.4 million." He added. 

Wada-Chedi attributed the successes to the tireless efforts of the command and its operatives and called on members of the public to continue to give them the necessary support.