Customs Intercepts N2.28bn From Dubai-bound Austrian National At Lagos Airport

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday stated that it intercepted the sum of €651,505 and $800,575, valued at approximately N2.28 billion, from an Austrian national at the airport.

The suspect, identified as Kavlak Onal, an Austrian citizen, was en route to Dubai aboard Emirates Airlines on Saturday, December 13, 2025, when he was arrested by the Anti-Money Laundering Unit of the Command.

Speaking with journalists, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Chidi Nwokorie, disclosed that the suspect and the seized foreign currencies would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

Nwokorie urged passengers to always declare both foreign and local currencies to Customs officers, stressing that properly declared funds are not subject to seizure.

“As part of our ongoing efforts to enforce Customs regulations and collaborate with law enforcement agencies, we are handing over the following seized undeclared foreign currencies—€651,505 and $800,575, amounting to about N2,281,891,575 when converted to naira—to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),” Nwokorie said.

He stressed that this demonstrates the synergy that has existed between the two agencies.

“This interception was made at about 1445 hours on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the Departure Terminal 2, when Mravlak Onal, an Austrian national with passport number AP0084116, who was scheduled to travel on Emirates Airline to Dubai, was asked if he had any currency to declare a,nd he said he did not.

“However, after a search was conducted, the amount mentioned above was discovered in his travelling bag. This contravenes extant laws which mandate all travellers, inbound and outbound, to declare foreign currencies or negotiable instruments exceeding the $10,000 threshold or its equivalent,” he said.

Nwokorie noted that the interception was in line with existing laws empowering the Customs Service to curb illicit financial flows.

“It is worthy of note that this interception aligns with the laws and Acts which empower and confer on the Nigeria Customs Service the authority to prevent illicit financial flows and ensure strict implementation of Anti-Money Laundering obligations at all borders. These include Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995; Section 3 (3–5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022; and Section 55 (1) of the NCS Act, 2023.”

The Customs Commander further revealed that officers of the Command resisted all compromise attempts and successfully intercepted the funds, which were about to be smuggled out of the country.

He warned that anyone who fails to declare foreign currency above the $10,000 threshold risks prosecution and forfeiture to the Federal Government.

“The general public is hereby advised that carrying currency exceeding the legally approved threshold of $10,000 or its equivalent is not an offence. However, failure to declare, false declaration, or under-declaration of the prescribed amount constitutes an offence under the law.

“Therefore, I urge anyone who has nothing to hide and is engaged in legitimate business and trade to make an honest and full declaration of currency and other negotiable instruments above the $10,000 threshold at the Currency Declaration Desks in the Arrival and Departure Halls of the airport, or risk prosecution and forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government,” he added.

He subsequently handed over the suspect to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Responding, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Adejumo Richard, who received the suspect, assured that the anti-graft agency will continue the investigation from where Customs stopped.

“We will pick up the investigation from where the Nigeria Customs Service stopped. We will do justice to the case and ensure a thorough investigation,” he assured.