In a major success against smuggling into India, customs officials at Chennai International Airport seized 6,168 grams of gold valued at Rs 3.91 crores on Friday. Moreover, they also arrested five passengers during a search. The action followed specific intelligence provided by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Chennai Zonal Unit.
According to an official release, acting upon specific intelligence, five passengers, who arrived in Chennai from Dubai on June 6, 2024, were intercepted by officers of the Air Intelligence Unit. Upon searching these passengers, the officers recovered six gold chains of 24K purity and ten bundles of gold paste. From these bundles, seven solid gold ingots of 24K purity were extracted.
The total gold seized weighed 6,168 grams and was valued at Rs 3.91 crores. The seizure was made under section 110 of The Customs Act, of 1962. The five passengers involved were promptly arrested. Customs officials have initiated a further investigation into the seizure.
Over 9 kg gold seized at bengaluru airport
Earlier on June 4, the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized more than nine kg of gold worth Rs 6.29 crore in separate searches at Bengaluru airport.
In the first case, the DRI authorities acted on specific input of a syndicate having concealed gold inside an aircraft. "The officers of DRI Bengaluru rummaged the Thai Airways flight, from Bangkok, which landed at Bangalore International Airport. The rummaging resulted in the recovery of 6.834 kg of gold in bar form and crude form concealed inside abandoned handbags in the aircraft," the official said in a statement.
The gold was valued at Rs 4.77 crore. After going through the documents found inside the abandoned bag and with the help of the cabin crew, the officers identified two passengers and arrested them. Later the arrested passengers accepted their crime.
Hours after the first recovery, the officials seized 2.18 kg of gold in bar form during rummaging of an Emirates flight which arrived from Dubai at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
The contraband was concealed in the front lavatory of the aircraft. The gold was valued at Rs 1.52 crore by the government-certified assayer.
(With PTI Inputs)
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