2.5 kg gold worth Rs 1.12 cr seized, one arrested

A release from the office of Commissioner of Customs said the gold was seized from five passengers, who arrived by different flights. Two passengers--Ranasinghe Arachchige Don Lasantha Shanaka (27) and Manathunga Arachchilage Sunimal Dhananjaya (28) both from Colombo, had arrived from Colombo by an Air India flight. Three others--Abubakar Sithik (42) of Virudhunagar, who arrived from Dubai by an Emirates Airlines flight, Mohamed Azarudeen (26) of Sivaganga from Bangkok by Thai Airways Flight and Jamaludeen (35) of Ramanathapuram, who arrived from Dubai by Air India Flight, were intercepted by AIU officers at the exit. On the personal search, seven gold cut bits weighing 177 grams valued at Rs 7 lakh were recovered from their pant pockets. Further on questioning they admitted to having concealed bundles containing gold paste in their rectum. A total of 17 bundles were recovered and on extraction 2.7 kg gold valued at Rs 1.05 crore was recovered. In all, 2.8 kg of gold valued at Rs 1.12 crore was recovered and the same was seized under Customs Act. One passenger was arrested.