Customs foils attempt to smuggle 8,228 ATM cards to Dubai in one month; what exactly is happening?

The Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) within the last one month has foiled two attempts to smuggle out 8,228 ATM cards in the last one month raising questions as to why the crime is gaining traction. And how many have slipped them through to Dubai and elsewhere.

The Kano/Jigawa Command arrested a Dubai-bound passenger in possession of 5,342 ATM cards at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

A month earlier, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced it was investigating a suspected fraudster caught concealing 2,886 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and four SIM cards in noodles while on his way to the United Arab Emirate, Dubai.

The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr Nasir Ahmed, stated the arrest of the new culprit while handing over the suspect to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday in Kano.

The Lagos zonal head of the EFCC, AbdulRasheed Bawa, gave an insight into why the new crime is on.while receiving the Lagos airport suspect on behalf of the commission, said, “we have taken over Ishaq and I can assure you that we are going to investigate the matter thoroughly and unveil everybody involved in the syndicate.

“There are a number of possibilities. There is an element of conspiracy, foreign exchange (FOREX) malpractices and money laundering. 

“Indeed, banks and bankers are definitely involved.”

“In recent months, we have observed a trend in which unsuspecting Nigerians are lured into opening accounts to be bought at a fee.

“Most bankers are not carrying out their duties with due diligence, particularly the Know Your Customers, (KYC), procedural check,” he said.

In Kano, the Customs boss, Ahmed said the suspect was arrested while about to board a Dubai-bound Ethiopian Airlines with the ATM cards concealed in two sacks of beans by the personnel of the command at the airport.

”It can be assumed that the suspect can withdraw up to one million dollars in a day, at the detriment of the national economy.

”We handed over the suspect, his passport and other travelling documents to the EFCC for further investigations,” Ahmed said.

Also speaking, Mr Sanusi Aliyu, the Head of the EFCC Zonal Office comprising Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, commended the service for effective surveillance to check crimes and financial crime in the airports and other point of entry in the country.

Aliyu said the commission would conduct thorough investigation.

”Investigation is necessary to establish the reasons behind the acts and other persons involved in the acts.

“The Nigeria Customs Service has been a very good partner of the EFCC in the fight against economic and financial crimes in the country,” he said.

Aliyu pledged continued partnership with the service to check graft practices in the country.

Last September, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the suspect in the Lagos smuggling attempt, Ishaq Abubakar, was arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and handed over to the EFCC Lagos zonal office for investigation and prosecution.

The commission quoted the Customs Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement, Abudulmumuni Bako, as saying the suspect came from Kano State and wanted to travel via an Emirate flight.

“The Customs Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement, Abudulmumuni Bako, who represented the Customs Area Comptroller, A. Ma’aji, said that the suspect, who claimed to have come from Kano to travel to Dubai aboard the Emirate Evacuation flight, was seen with someone who was assigned to facilitate his movement through the airport checks.

“Officers of the Customs service intercepted the suspect with 2,886 ATM cards and four SIM cards, which he carefully concealed in parks of Noodles.

“This raised the suspicion of the officers who insisted he should be physically and thoroughly checked after the scan machine had revealed he was carrying parks (sic) of noodles,” he said.