Gold concealed in aircraft seats seized in Chennai airport

Customs officials at the Chennai airport seized gold valued at Rs 95.44 lakh and foreign currency worth Rs 46.29 lakh in separate instances.

Based on specific input from the Chennai unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, a team of Chennai Air Customs officers rummaged through an Indigo flight that arrived from Dubai. They found gold bars concealed in the hollow pipe of the flight seats. The six gold bars weighing 699 grams valued at Rs 30.62 lakh were seized under the Customs Act, 1962.

In yet another case where they joined forces with the DRI, this time from the Bengaluru unit, the Air Intelligence Unit officers intercepted a passenger identified as Haresh Fatumal (52) of Maharashtra, bound for Dubai based on specific inputs. 

On examination of his check-in baggage, foreign currency (UAE dirham) worth Rs 46.29 lakh was found ingeniously concealed in the inner layers of the trolley bag. It was seized under the Customs Act, 1962, read with Foreign Exchange Management Act, and Fatumal was arrested.

In another case, a total of 1.4 kg gold cut bars valued at Rs 64.82 lakh was recovered from five passengers arriving from Dubai. The gold was found concealed in the check-in-baggage of all the five passengers and the same was seized under the Customs Act, 1962.