The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) caught a passenger hiding $193,000 inside a yogurt carton at Abuja’s international airport on Friday. The traveler arrived on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Saudi Arabia.
Customs spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada said officers found the cash using intelligence and careful baggage inspection. They used scanning technology to detect unusual density in the yogurt carton.
Nigerian law requires travelers to declare any amount over $10,000. Failing to do so breaks both anti-money laundering laws and customs regulations.
The seized money has been given to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation. The passenger may face prosecution.
This seizure is part of Nigeria’s efforts to stop illegal money movement across borders. Recently, authorities also confiscated $578,000 at Lagos airport when a passenger from Johannesburg declared only part of the money they were carrying.
Officials warn that undeclared cash could lead to seizure and legal action under Nigeria’s financial regulations.
