Bribery: EFCC to probe $54,230 handed over by Customs

• The money we are handing over to you today is proceeds of crime that emanated from the import of illicit drugs. An attempt to illegally release the drugs was resisted by the Customs officials. There was also further attempts by the importers and their collaborators to compromise officers of the NCS by bribing them with the sum of Fifty Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty United States Dollars, which was resisted”.

*Photo L-R: Wetkas, Nnadi*

The Lagos Zonal Commander of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Michael T. Wetkas, has assured the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, of further investigation into an alleged bribery of its officials to the tune of $54,230 (Fifty Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty United States of American Dollars).

He gave the assurance on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, while receiving the money handed over to the EFCC by the Customs Area Comptroller, Tincan Island Port, Apapa, Lagos, Comptroller Dera Nnadi.

Wetkas, who thanked the leadership of the NCS for the sustained collaboration between the two agencies, assured of greater support in the fight against corruption and fraud-related offences.

Speaking earlier, Nnadi said: “We always look forward to collaborating with other agencies, one of which is the EFCC. The money we are handing over to you today is proceeds of crime that emanated from the import of illicit drugs. An attempt to illegally release the drugs was resisted by the Customs officials. There was also further attempts by the importers and their collaborators to compromise officers of the NCS by bribing them with the sum of Fifty Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty United States Dollars, which was resisted”.

He also disclosed that, “the importer, agents as well as the containers have been handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, for further investigation”.

Nnadi also used the occasion to seek more robust collaboration with the EFCC as well as other law enforcement agencies in the fight against smuggling within the command.

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