N83.1 Billion Counterfeit Money Intercepted by NIPOST

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) succeeded in intercepting counterfeit financial instrument worth N83.1 billion between January and December 2015, the Acting Postmaster General (PMG) of NIPOST, Mr. Enoch Ade Ogun, disclosed on Monday.

The NIPOST boss, who made the the disclosure at ceremony organised by the service to mark its 2016 Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) Day in Abuja, also put the monetary value of the financial instruments, which included different foreign currencies, as; Pound Sterling worth 1.1 million, Euros 40.4million, US Dollars 376.6 million, and Australian Dollars 5,200.

According to him, the counterfeit financial instruments have been deposited with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ogun also said that some seizures of narcotics including heroin, cocaine and canabis were made and that these have also been deposited with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further laboratory test and for possible arrest.

The PMG added that the discovery was made because of the physical inspection of over 500 scam letters containing various negotiable counterfeit financial instruments going either through or coming into the country.
According to him, the international passports have also been deposited with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

Other items intercepted according to him, include: 848 pieces of fake cheques, 2393 pieces of money orders, 147 pieces of postal orders and 30 pieces of international passports in addition to 167.5 Kg of narcotics.