Travellers’ cheques in different foreign currencies with a total value of over N1.1 billion have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi read: “Travellers’ cheques in different foreign currencies with a total value of One Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Seven Million, Six Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira and Ninety Two Kobo (N1,157, 670,469.92) have been intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.”
Babafemi revealed that at least a suspect, Oguma Uchenna has been arrested in connection to the attempt to export the cheques, which were neatly concealed inside four bound hard cover books disguised as academic project literatures, to the United Kingdom.
He said the financial instruments suspected to be counterfeits were discovered last Wednesday at NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport during cargo examination of some consignments meant for exportation to the UK on a cargo flight.
Babafemi disclosed that a breakdown of the cheques showed they have monetary values of $287, 623.31; $1,456,300 and €1,297,800.
He said also at the Lagos Airport, operatives of NDLEA foiled attempt by drug traffickers to smuggle into Nigeria 10.89 kilogrammes of cocaine through a Qatar Airways flight, adding that the illicit drug was hidden in seven children duvets packed in an unaccompanied bag from Brazil.
