News Maharashtra Gold worth Rs 19 Crore seized at Mumbai airport, two foreign nationals arrested

Gold worth Rs 19 Crore seized at Mumbai airport, two foreign nationals arrested

Two women passengers of foreign nationality were arrested by the customs along with the gold. The gold was found concealed in the bags and undergarments of both the passengers.

Mumbai Customs Zone seized gold Image Source : ANIMumbai Customs Zone seized gold at airport

In a significant action against smuggling, the Airport Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs Zone on Monday seized 32.79 Kgs of gold valued at Rs 19.15 crore. Two women passengers of foreign nationality have also been arrested by the customs.

The Mumbai customs found the gold concealed in undergarments and baggages of both the apprehended passengers. 

Rise in gold smuggling seizures

Huge chunks of gold have been seized by the customs at various Indian airports in the recent past. Earlier on June 7, over 6 Kgs of gold with 24K purity worth Rs 3.91 crore, was seized by the officials of the Customs Department at the Chennai airport. Along with the seized gold, five passengers who arrived from Dubai were arrested for their alleged involvement in the gold smuggling into the country.  The seizure was made after the customs got specific inputs from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.

Similarly on June 4, over 9 Kgs of gold was seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence at Bengaluru airport in two different cases. In a first, 6.834 kgs of gold valued at Rs 4.77 crore was recovered from the abandoned bags. The passengers involved were arrested later. Moreover, in the second instance, 2.18 kg of gold in bar form was recovered and seized by officers of the DRI from an Emirates flight. 

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