The chairman of Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom state, Mr Nse Ntuen, was detained and arrested at the International Airport in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday August 16th for smuggling $82, 000 into the US under false pretences. The Maryland State Police Department spokesperson confirmed the arrest in an interview. According to him,Mr Ntuen failed to declare the money with the US custom officials. He only declared $5,000, only for a whopping sum of $77,000 to be found in his luggage. When questioned Mr Ntuen lied that he brought the money into the US to donate it at the Annual International Convention of the Akwa Ibom Indigenes in the US and Canada which was scheduled for the Marriot Hotel in Washington, DC. He was released after five hours in custody without the but money. It was confiscated by the Maryland State Police Department.
