Sleuths net plane full of ‘kuruvis’; grilling on

CHENNAI: In a big and rather unusual haul, Customs officials at the Chennai airport seized expensive gadgets like iPhones and also gold and other items from a whopping 130 passengers who reached here from Muscat on Thursday morning. The smuggled goods that were seized were valued at about Rs 14 crore.

While 40 of them who were ferrying the gadgets were allowed to leave, the rest are being questioned after finding gold, saffron, iPhones, and also due to suspected links to the smuggling network.

When the Oman Airlines flight arrived at the airport on Thursday morning, the officials detained about 130 passengers on suspicion of carrying smuggled goods. After sustained grilling for several hours, the officials found that 40 of them were ferrying iPhones and other gadgets for the racket.

The fliers were asked to hand them over to the members of the network outside the airport, and were given perfumes and chocolates for the job. After seizing the goods, the officials asked them to give a written statement and released them after issuing a strict warning.

Sources said about 90 passengers are still being questioned by Customs and DRI officials on the suspicion of being directly linked with the smugglers. Though the exact details are not yet available, sources said the officials have seized gold and more gadgets from them. The value of the items that have been seized so far is estimated to be Rs 14 crore.

Those found to be innocent would be allowed to go home after the interrogation was over, officials said.