2.91 kg gold worth Rs 1.24 cr seized from 8 fliers in Chennai

According to airport sources, two Sri Lankan women, Fathima (48) and Fathima Fareena Rizwie (43), along with two Indians, Abdul Hameed (34) and Rasik Ali (31) of Ramanathapuram, arrived from Colombo on Saturday night. Officials intercepted them at the exit and upon search, 11 bundles containing gold in paste form were recovered from their rectum. On extraction 1.284 kg gold was recovered, the sources added.

In another incident, on Sunday morning, two Indians, Nazeer Ahamed (28) of Chennai and Baisul Rahman (23) of Ramanathapuram, and Sri Lankan national Yaseer (49) who arrived from Colombo, were intercepted by officials at the exit. On personal search, 12 bundles of gold in paste form were recovered from their rectum. On extraction, the yellow metal weighing 1.324 kg was recovered.

In the third case, on Sunday, Noorul Huk (39) of Ramanathapuram, who arrived from Dubai, was intercepted at the exit. On a search, three strips of gold paste were found concealed inside the waist portion of Noorul’s jeans. On extraction, 303 grams of gold was recovered. In all, eight cases were detected and a total of 2.91 kg of gold of 24K purity and valued at Rs 1.24 crore was recovered and seized under the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is on.