The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Thursday arrested six members of a suspected money laundering syndicate that specializes in swallowing dollars.
In a statement, the agency ‎said that the group, which includes a bureau de change operator, were caught in connection with swallowing US$156,000 (about N32 million) meant for export to Brazil.
Those arrested are Kingsley Nwokenta, a bureau de change operator also known as Buchito; Augustine Onwuasoanya, 54, and Christian Okoli, 35, both based in Brazil; Uzoma Ezenwa, 33, a hotel manager; Ikenna Ezenwa; and Emmanuel Nwokenta.
The suspects were caught at Excel Oriental Hotel, along Airport Road, Lagos, where the dollars were being swallowed, the NDLEA said.
It was the second arrest in two months of suspected money launderers involving a bureau de change.
‎”The agency will continue to rely on manpower training and intelligence-led drug control strategies to outwit criminal syndicates,” said Ahmadu Giade, NDLEA’s Chairman.
“We shall take reasonable measures to dislodge drug cartels and eradicate narcotics from our society. Any bureau de change operator that violates the law shall be punished accordingly.”
‎The anti-narcotics agency stated that its interim investigation showed that Kingsley Nwokenta, 37, who operates Amazon Bureau de Change, is the brain behind the alleged criminal act.
“He allegedly supplied US$120,000 to be swallowed and illicitly exported to Brazil,” said Muyiwa Adeniyi, NDLEA Commander, Joint Task Force.
“Onwuasoanya Augustine swallowed 74 wraps of dollars amounting to US$111,000. Christian Okoli who resides in Brazil had US$45,000 which he wanted to swallow.”
The NDLEA said that Emmanuel Nwokenta, 31, the manager of the bureau de change, played a “supportive role” in the alleged act while Ikenna Ezenwa, 28, was hired to wrap the money.
“He is believed to have acquired his skill from illicit drug wrapping,” Mr. Adeniyi said.
“Ezenwa Uzoma, the hotel manager who has a strong link with members of the syndicate, wilfully obstructed the officers from discharging their duty.”
Illicit exportat of currency by ingestion is a new trend in by-passing anti-money laundering operatives, and the NDLEA said that the discovery that wrapped US dollars, before it is swallowed, is similar to narcotics packaging is “most revealing.”
Mr. Giade directed that the suspects be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation.”

Joc86:
Well. Any way na way. Let them leave boys alone o.
Give them appointment No.
Create job for them. No
na to de follow dem for back anywhere dey go for husling.
But na joke I de joke o. Only make dem no kill o or thief in de name of husling.

Kastonkastroll:


Fool, must you always find excuses for these criminals?

Are they the only jobless people in the country? Let me tell you, when I graduated from uni some couple of years ago, jobs didn't come my way. I had to do okada job even with my good results from school. The okada job kinda keep my body and soul together for about a year and a half before I finally secured a job.

Nothing in this world will ever justify crime. Everybody just want to get rich in a day without any sweat which is not done. If people like dangote, mark, bill gates etc tell you their success story, you will be really amaze at the kinda hardship they passed through before eventually making it....

ArodewilliamsT:
@ thread, Buhari saves his money in dollars and pay his daughter school fees (over $78,000/per session) in DOLLARS, but ordinary Igbo businessmen can not travel with $4,500 from nigerian airports without being harrased and their monies seized. These Islamic notherners will have the uprising that they keep stimulating,from the Easterners.

Deltagiant:
Strange, but i lay the blame squarely on the Daura D.ullard. It is the strength of your economy that defines the strength of your currency! What happened at the arport is the consequence of a primitive foreign currency control system to shore up the local currency. The domino effect is denying people their right to use or rather travel with their hard earned money to buy the goods they need.

Please, Buhari, allow ordinary Nigerians travel with their monies. Nigerian traders travelling overseas are increasingly dewindling as a result of this wicked currency restriction. These people are not criminals...allow them go trade with their money.

What a bad choice Nigerians have made!

Kastonkastroll:
I have said it and I will continue to say it, crime doesn't pay. Now somebody should tell me if there is any difference between boko boys and these drug pushers.......

• boko boys kill with guns and other weapons while these wicked drug pushers kill with fake drugs and other dangerous narcotics. SMH

ArodewilliamsT:
@ thread, Q(1) How did u know about this and what is your headache on it?[/b)
Buhari saves his money in dollars and pay his daughter school fees (over $78,000/per session) in DOLLARS
[b]Q(2) Did u now agree that u people has no where to stand politically in this regime?
, but ordinary Igbo businessmen can not travel with $4,500 from nigerian airports without being harrased is harassed not the trash u type down ok!!! So make use of the "S" to get SENSE and their monies seized. These Islamic notherners will have the uprising that they keep stimulating,from the Easterners.

iamboody:

You guys just read and wail, I wonder what level of education most of you attained, even in a free country like U.S entering or moving around with over $10,000 in cash (or equivalent will require you to declare the cash and will raise a few red flags. They may require proof of where you earned the money and ask why you're choosing to bring it to the U.S, so what is the problem if somebody carrying $156,000.00 is arrested by the Authority in Nigeria? If our Igbo brothers can declare and defend the amount they are carrying then no qualms they can even carry $1m without needing to swallow it. What happens to online transfer. I hope you know that no policy stops you from having dollars in your account or transferring same abroad for school fees or any other legal dealings. Endeavor to go to your bank for education than wasting most of your time on Nairaland.