NDLEA declares war on fake currency traffickers ....Nabbed woman with $240,000

 Emeka Ibemere

If you think that the only thing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, fights against is drug war crimes; then you are far away from what they do. Aside the known drug war crimes responsibilities, the agency also fights against money laundry and faked currency trafficking crime, too. Throughout last year, over $800million was intercepted by the various security agencies at the border and at the airports across the country.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nigerian Custom Services, Nigerian Immigration Services and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the nation’s major Airports recorded massive money trafficking arrests and interceptions.

Much of the interceptions took place at the notable Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos State, Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja and Kano Airports.

It would be recalled that on Monday September 20, 2010, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) agreed to fine-tune efforts to enhance smooth interface in the fight against money laundering in the country.

This was disclosed during a visit by IMF technical team to the NDLEA headquarters in Lagos.

In his remarks, Mr Manuel Vasduez said his visit was to provide technical assistance to anti-money laundering Agencies in Nigeria. He then said: “We are in Nigeria to conduct an assessment of technical needs of anti-money laundering Agencies”. He also made a case for training and greater interface among law enforcement Agencies in the country.

NDLEA boss thanked them for the visit and promised full cooperation with stakeholders in the fight against money laundering.

According to Giade, “NDLEA is the first Agency vested with power to fight money laundering crime in the country. We are committed to total war against money laundering and will interface with relevant bodies in building capacities in addressing money laundering cases”.

The Agency has an amendment act before the National Assembly whereby drug suspects evading prosecution will forfeit their assets if after two years they fail to show up. However, before such assets are forfeited there will be a publication in a national newspaper to that effect after the two years period.

During the weekend, NDLEA uncovered a currency trafficking syndicate with the seizure of two hundred and forty thousand ($240,000) United States dollars hidden inside dictionaries at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos State.

The 39 year-old Congolese who claimed to be fashion designer, was identified as Mfundu Angela.

She was arrested for attempting to export the suspected faked dollars to Congo-Kinshasa through Cargolux airline before she was apprehended by the anti-narcotic officers on duty at the MMIA.  NDLEA Commander at the MMIA Lagos, Mr. Hamza Umar, said that the seizure was successful

 “The suspect who hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo brought a sewing machine and a bag containing clothes and five dictionaries for export to Congo”, Umar added.

“There was high suspicion on the consignment and in the process of search, the dictionaries were found to contain twenty-four (24) envelopes containing ten thousand dollars ($10,000) each”.

Investigations revealed that the suspect was a divorcee and a mother of two. She disclosed that the dollars were given to her by her boyfriend. This is what she said.

 “I am a fashion designer from DR Congo. I have two children but my husband and I have been separated. I came to Nigeria in search of greener pastures in 2006. It was my boyfriend that gave me the dictionaries to send to Congo”.

NDLEA boss, Ahmadu Giade described the discovery as a big boost for airport and border securities in the country.

“This remarkable seizure is a big boost for our airport and border security. It is an indication that criminal groups are fast becoming inept based on our superior search operations,” Giade stated.

At the end of preliminary investigation, the suspect is expected to be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and legal action. 

Security agents say currency traffickers’ love for ferrying faked and original dollars through the airports was because of the tight security on the banks’ transactions by the monitoring agencies beaming their searchlights on banks. Money launderers seem to beat security at the borders and airports devised new twist to beat the eagle eyes of the financial institutions’ regulatory bodies and security agencies.

From 2012 January to 2013 January, over $800million was reported to have been intercepted by the various security agencies in the country with EFCC and NDLEA making much interceptions.

The Nigeria Customs Service on April 2013 arrested a Hong Kong-bound passenger at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, with $767,500.

The Customs Command at the airport said the passenger was arrested while boarding Emirates flight number EK782 to Hong Kong, via Dubai.

The Public Relations Officer of the Customs Service at the airport, Mrs Thelma Williams, said although the passenger declared the amount on the prescribed forms CDF1A and CDF1B, he could not explain satisfactorily the source of the money.

Williams said upon investigation, the suspect was observed to be a frequent traveller.

“He travelled between April 27 and Sept. 15, 2012 with $1.3illion, which he took to Hong Kong.

“Also in Nov. 3, 2012, the suspect travelled with $10,000 to China and on the case of Jan. 10, when he was caught that he was trying to smuggle out of the country $767,500 to Hong Kong,” Williams said.

She said the passenger and the amount had been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation.

Last year, the EFCC said close to $100million was seized from travellers at the airports, trying to smuggle the money abroad.

The Commission arrested two suspects over an attempt to smuggle more than $238,858 (two hundred and thirty eight thousand, eight hundred and fifty eight United States Dollars) out of the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Investigation shows that the crime is thriving with the aids of some bureau de change businessmen who take money out in bulk cash after settling their ways at the airports.

Wednesday November 7 2012, one of the suspects, Abdulrasheed Ibrahim was nabbed as he prepared to board a Dubai; the United Arab Emirates bound Ethiopian Airline.

A total of $188,858 (one hundred and eighty eight thousand, eight hundred and fifty eight United States Dollars) was found on him. He had declared the sum of forty five thousand USD ($45,000) only for a search on him to reveal additional $143, 858.

Further search revealed that he was carrying forty British Pounds and 5753grams of solid gold worth thirty four million five hundred and eighteen thousand naira (N34, 518,000).

The second suspect, Hyginus Ezedimbu was apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on November 3, 2012 as he prepared to board an Ethiopian Airline on his way to China.

 He was caught with $50,000 but he declared $49,971. Apart from under- declaring the money in his possession, Ezedimbu could also not explain the ownership of the money, nor was he able to produce the receipt with which he purportedly purchased the forex from a Bureau De Change.

Musa Adamu, operator of Majia Bureau de Change, Abuja, who purportedly sold the currency to Ezedimbu was questioned. He was later released on administrative bail, pending the conclusion of investigation.

The arrest of the duo comes on the heels of similar arrests at two of the nation’s other major gateway, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, Kano.

 Abubakar Tijani Sheriff, who has since been convicted by a Federal High Court in Lagos, was also arrested on September 27, 2012 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport en route Dubai, United Arab Emirates for attempting to smuggle $7million out of the country.

When he was arrested, he declared that he had only $4.5million on him but thorough search showed that he was actually carrying $7,049,444 (Seven million, Forty Nine Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty Four United States Dollars).

That was not all, within that 2012, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Okechukwu Okeke on Friday, November 23, 2012 convicted a bulk cash courier arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and ordered him to forfeit 25% of the $286,400.00(Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Four Hundred United States Dollars) not declared to the security agencies before he was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

The convict, Nkem Sebastian was apprehended by the anti-graft agency for attempting to smuggle $286,000 out of the country. He was arrested as he prepared to board a plane for Dubai, the United Emirates en route China.

The convicted courier, Ikem Sebastian Okechukwu was intercepted by operatives of the EFCC, on  Saturday, 29 September, 2012  while  carrying $286,400.00( Two Hundred and Eighty  Six  Thousand Four Hundred United States Dollars) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos  on his way to Dubai , United Arab Emirates . He only declared the sum of $225,900.00(Two Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand, Nine Hundred United States Dollars) to the Nigerian Customs Service.

When the money was discovered, Sebastian disclosed that he had only $200,000 on him. But a search revealed that he was actually carrying $286,000.

On Sunday, September 30, 2012 operatives of the Commission arrested one Alhaji Tasiu Ilu Kura, a businessman with $700,000 (about N112m) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. The suspect who hails from Kura Local Government in Kano State, was arrested en route Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“Under declaring cash at entry and exit points in the country are criminal offence and the person making the declaration risk losing 25 percent of the money not declared or a two year jail term; or both”, Wilson Uwajeren, EFCC spokesman stated. Under section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011; it is an offence punishable under Section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 to traffic in currency.