A vehicle loaded with more than N71,350,000 suspected to be for laundering was intercepted by Katsina Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The news was shared Monday, November 29 by Acting Controller at the command, Dalhat Wada-Chedi, while he was briefing newsmen on the achievements of the command for the month of November 2021.
According to him, 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.
He said;
“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.”
Speaking about what warranted the arrest, Wada-Chedi revealed 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.” He said.
Going further, Wada-Chedi added that 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.
While stating that eight vehicles with a total value of N14.4 million were also intercepted in November, he added;
“Smuggled rice, spaghetti, vegetable oil, potash and medicaments were also seized by the command in the course of November.
“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.
“Within the month of November, we succeeded in arresting five suspects and different items worth over N176.4 million.”
Wada-Chedi credited the triumphs to tireless efforts of the command and its operatives. He called on members of the public to continue to keep on giving the Nigeria customs fundamental help.
CREDIT: Gistmania
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