National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested two suspected hard currency smugglers at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
This was contained in a statement on Friday by its spokesperson, Jonah Achema.
The statement said the arrest was made by the agency’s Special Area Command at the airport.
It named the suspects as Obasi Chidi, from Enugu State and Nebo Lloyd, from Abia.
According to the statement, they were arrested as they arrived at the airport aboard an Ethiopian Airline Flight 911, connecting from Tel Aviv.
Part of the statement said: “They were arrested with various sums of hard currencies neatly concealed in their travelling bags.
“They, however, failed to declare the currencies at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel or upon arrival at the Airport in Abuja.
“Upon intensive search by officers and men of NDLEA, Lloyd was found with the sum of 371, 203 dollars, 20, 000 Euros and 20 Shekels.
“Chidi was found with 318, 000 dollars.”
NDLEA said they suspected the money was to be delivered to a recipient in Abuja, who would in turn “disburse same to supposed beneficiaries.”
“So far, the couriers could not give account of the source and purpose of the money,” the statement said.
The suspects and monetary exhibits have been transferred to the appropriate government agency for further investigation.
