The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Charles Edike, told reporters on Wednesday that, although the suspect declared the money in his Customs currency declaration form, he failed to disclose the sum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The suspect, who claimed to be a director of AZ Petroleum, said that he was allegedly travelling with the Kenya Airways to solve dispute with the Kenyan community over oil blocs, consequently, he was travelling with such amount.
The suspect and the currency, according to the CAC, have been handed over to the EFCC.
While giving a rundown of activities of the command for last year, Edike noted that no fewer than 14 suspected currency smugglers were arrested with a total sum of $12, 1076,337.00 during the review period.
He said that the suspects have been handed over to the EFCC for prosecution.
On the command’s revenue profile last year, the CAC said that the command collected over N35billion as against 34 billion that was collected in 2011.
He attributed the increase in the revenue base to the insistence that every air way bill must be accounted for.
The development, according to him, was earlier resisted, but was resolved with the intervention of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Agents (ANLCA) National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu.
“Our insistence that every air way bill must be accounted for increased the revenue base and all the leakages, stealing of cargo was minimised to the best of our ability,” Edike said.
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