Mumbai: Airport officials seize 15 kg gold, 7 arrested

MUMBAI: Mumbai Airport customs seized 15 kgs of gold valued at Rs 7.87 crore in four cases and foreign currency worth Rs 22 lakh in two different cases on Tuesday and Wednesday and arrested seven people in total, the customs official said.

In the first case, officers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) developed intelligence inputs and caught one Indian national who arrived by Emirates flight EK 500 from Dubai with 9.895 kg of gold valued at Rs 5.20 crore. The gold was kept in a specially designed chest belt with nine pockets which was found wrapped around the chest and shoulder. The Indian national revealed that the gold was handed over to him in Dubai by two Sudanese passengers. The Sudanese passenger was also intercepted and caught.

All three passengers were arrested and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

In the second case, gold in dust form weighing 1.875 kg valued at Rs. 99.75 lakh was seized from an Indian national who had arrived from Chennai to Mumbai by Indigo flight 6E 6149 (earlier landed from Sharjah). Gold dust packets were concealed in undergarments. The passenger was arrested.

In the third case, gold in dust form weighing 1068 grams and 1185 grams valued at Rs. 56,81,760 and Rs. 58,78,600 respectively was seized from two Indian passengers who had arrived from Jeddah by flight Saudia SV 772. Gold dust packets were found concealed in undergarments. Both the passengers were arrested.

In the fourth case, gold dust in wax form weighing 973 grams and valued at Rs 51,17,980 was seized from a Sudanese national who had arrived by Emirates flight EK-504 from Dubai. Gold dust in wax in egg form was found concealed in the rectum by the passengers. The passenger was arrested.

In two separate cases of foreign currency, customs held an Indian national in the first case, who boarded SpiceJet flight SG-13 from Mumbai to Dubai and was caught with 50,000 Dirhams concealed inside the Customised round shaped cavity of the biscuits stuffed in the packet. The interception was made in the departure area after the passenger crossed the Customs declaration counter.

In another case, an Indian national who was to board SpiceJet flight SG-13 from Mumbai to Dubai was caught with 45,000 Dirhams concealed inside the Customised round-shaped cavity of the biscuits stuffed in a packet. The interception was made in the departure DFS area after the passenger crossed the Customs declaration counter.