Customs strike gold under smugglers’ wigs

At least five passengers from Dubai were found carrying gold paste concealed under wigs while four passengers bound for Sharjah were found hiding foreign currency the same way.

Two passengers who arrived from Dubai on Sunday were found carrying 595 gm of gold and on Friday, three passengers from Dubai and Sharjah were found carrying gold weighing around 2.08 kg.

In another case, four passengers bound for Sharjah were found carrying 67,500 Saudi Riyals concealed under wigs and $4,750, 6,500 Dirhams, 8,00,000 Taka, were recovered from pant pockets. The total value of the seized currencies was equivalent to Rs 24.06 lakh.

In the last three days, officials also recovered gold from passengers who hid it in their rectums. In another case, gold bars with foreign marking weighing 933 grams valued at Rs 43.30 lakh, was found in a cloth bag which was concealed in the hollow pipe beneath one of the aircraft seat.