Customs seizes 1.48 kg gold, three arrested

On Monday night, Air Intelligence officers apprehended two persons outside the airport, who panicked after police questioned them, when they were seen collecting some packets from passengers sitting in a bus bound for a quarantine facility. On search, five packets of gold in paste form were recovered.

A press release said that the duo, Kaja Mohideen(39) and S Peer Mohideen (33), both from Chennai, informed that the packets were handed over to them by five passengers, who had arrived from Sharjah by Air India flight AI-1984. The passengers also confirmed they handed over one packet each to them. Gold weighing 1.2 kg valued at Rs 66.73 lakh was recovered from them and seized. Both of them were arrested.

On Tuesday morning, one Khaleel Ahamed (24), who arrived from Dubai by Air India Express flight, was intercepted at the exit by Customs officials. On searching, one packet of gold paste was recovered from his underwear. On extraction, 280 grams of gold valued at Rs 15.60 lakh was recovered and seized.