The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted undeclared foreign currencies worth approximately N2.28 billion from an Austrian national at the Lagos airport.
The interception was carried out by officers of the Customs Anti-Money Laundering Unit on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Kavlak Onal, an Austrian citizen, was arrested while attempting to board an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai. According to the Customs Area Controller of the MMIA Command, Comptroller Chidi Nwokorie, officers asked the passenger if he had any currency to declare, to which he answered “no.” A subsequent search of his luggage revealed 651,505 euros and 800,575 US dollars concealed in his travel bag.
Comptroller Nwokorie stated that the seized amount, when converted to the Nigerian Naira, is valued at N2.28 billion. This sum far exceeds the legally permitted declaration threshold of $10,000 or its equivalent in other foreign currencies.
He clarified that carrying currency above this limit is not an offense, but failure to declare it, making a false declaration, or under-declaring constitutes a serious violation of Nigerian law.
The interception was made under the authority of several laws, including the Foreign Exchange Act, the Money Laundering Act, and the Nigeria Customs Service Act, which empower Customs to prevent illicit financial flows.
Nwokorie emphasized that officers resisted attempts at compromise and successfully prevented the funds from being smuggled out of the country. He warned that failure to declare above the threshold leads to prosecution and forfeiture of the funds, urging legitimate travelers to make honest declarations at airport currency desks.
Following the seizure, the suspect, his international passport, and the intercepted currencies have been formally handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
An Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Mr. Richard Adejumo, commended the Customs Service for the effective inter-agency collaboration and confirmed that the commission would take over the investigation to ensure it is thoroughly handled.
