The Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (ERCA) said it has tightened security control in all its custom stations in a bid to control the illegal flow of foreign currency out of the country.
Eframe Mekonnen, Head of Corporate Communication at ERCA, told The Reporter that custom officers have increased their monitoring at checkpoints, border towns as well as at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
He further indicated that a growing number of public tips are increasing day by day since the past week. Hence, seizures of foreign currency are underway every day.
On Tuesday, over USD 10,000 has been confiscated from one unidentified passenger at the airport.
Furthermore, the Federal police on Tuesday announced that it has seized USD 10,000,000 about to leave Ethiopia.
According to police, the cash was confiscated as a result of the coordination between the Federal Police, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Addis Ababa Police, Oromia Regional State Police and members of the public.
Federal Police commissioner general, Zeinu Jemal said in a press conference on Wednesday that over one thousand weapons from individuals and groups were seized in the last few days.
It has made an arrest in connection with the seizure but did not disclose the names of the suspects.
Police authorities seem to believe that the cash and weapons they confiscated has something to do with an organized move to create instability and economic crisis in the country.
Zeinu added that over 1,000 weapons were seized during the operation, among others: pistols, two machine guns, and 80,000 rounds of ammunition.
The police said they believed that the weapons were smuggled into Ethiopia via Sudan and Djibouti to create instability.
“Those individuals suspected of hoarding the foreign currency are under police investigation,” Zeinu added.
