Weed, cash luggage destinationed to Nigeria seized at US Airport
The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has confiscated over 10 pounds of marijuana in a checked bag on its way to Nigeria, according to reports sourced online by The Oracle Today.
Local news outlets reported that CBP found the bag during an examination of checked baggage headed to Lagos, Nigeria.
Officers seized over $220,000 from travelers leaving Washington Dulles Airport to Africa within the last 30 days which, Such cash hauls which were not declared to the authorities were in violation of currency reporting laws in the United States.
The marijuana was discovered inside a traveler’s suitcase kept in 10 vacuum-sealed packages within the clothing that was inside; but officers were not able to find the traveler who the suitcase belonged to at the airport.
“CBP continues to investigate,” the report added.
In the United States, marijuana would’ve been worth the street value of about $8,000, and over N4.0 million in Nigerian currency.
“Every day, Customs and Border Protection officers at Dulles Airport examine outbound baggage and air cargo to ensure compliance with applicable U.S. laws. Sometimes we discover illicit products, but intercepting a marijuana load crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Nigeria is quite unusual with the abundance of marijuana available around the globe,” said Kim Der-Yeghiayan, Acting Area Port Director for CBP’s Area Port of Washington, D.C.
CBP officers also seized $101,825 from an American couple headed to Lagos. They declared only $19,600 with the U.S. Treasury Department, however, a routine examination of their baggage revealed there were envelopes with money in their suitcases that totaled $101,825.
Then on the same day officers seized another $13,000 from a traveler headed to Ethiopia. They also reported he only had $2,700 then officers discovered the rest in his baggage as well.
“The most important lesson for international travelers to understand is that they can travel with as much currency as they desire, but that they must truthfully report it all to a CBP officer. It’s that simple,” said Kim Der-Yeghiayan, Acting CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C.
