Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, have intercepted undeclared foreign currencies worth about ₦2.28 billion from an Austrian national trying to leave the country.
The suspect, Kavlak Onal, was arrested on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the airport’s Departure Terminal 2 while preparing to board an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai. Customs officers from the Anti-Money Laundering Unit became suspicious after he reportedly told them he had no money to declare.
A search of his luggage, however, revealed €651,505 and $800,575 hidden in his travel bag.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the Customs Area Controller at MMIA, Comptroller Chidi Nwokorie, said the arrest was part of ongoing efforts to curb illicit financial flows through Nigeria’s borders. He added that both the suspect and the seized cash had been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
Nwokorie stressed that carrying large sums of money is not illegal, as long as it is properly declared. “The problem is not the amount, but the failure to declare it,” he said, warning that false or non-declaration attracts prosecution and possible forfeiture.
He noted that the operation showed the strong cooperation between Customs and the EFCC, adding that officers involved resisted all attempts to compromise them.
Customs urged travellers to always declare foreign and local currencies exceeding the $10,000 threshold at designated desks in the airport to avoid legal trouble.
Receiving the suspect, EFCC Assistant Commander Adejumo Richard assured the public that the agency would carry out a thorough investigation and take appropriate action in line with the law.
