Chennai: Officials of the Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) have seized 3.15 kg gold valued at Rs 1.64 crore from passengers who arrived from Dubai in separate incidents since Wednesday night.
Airport Customs Commissioner in a release said based on intelligence that gold was likely to be smuggled by concealing in aircraft, rummaging of the Air India Express Flight, which arrived from Dubai, was carried out and a pouch was found concealed under one of the seats.
On examination, two bundles of gold paste and two gold bars weighing 116.5 gms each, total 928 grams valued at Rs 48.27 lakh, was recovered and seized as unclaimed.
In another case, 169 gms of gold was recovered from a passenger who arrived by the same flight. The gold was concealed in the socks.
A total of 1.1 kg gold valued at Rs. 57 lakhs was recovered. In another seizure, four passengers who arrived from Dubai by Fly Dubai Flight were intercepted at the exit.
The officials searched them and recovered 11 bundles of gold paste from their rectum. Total 1.2 Kg gold valued at Rs 61.5 lakh was recovered and two passengers were arrested.
In another incident, five passengers, who arrived by Air India Express Flight were intercepted and on their personal search eight bundles of gold paste were recovered from rectum and innerwear. Total 858 gms of gold valued at Rs. 45.5 lakhs was recovered.
In all, 3.15 kgs gold of 24 k purity valued at Rs 1.64 crores was recovered and seized under the Customs Act. Further investigation is under progress.