5 held at RGIA with 1.93 kg gold, 62,400 cigarette sticks

Hyderabad, July 10 Customs officials at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here have arrested five persons and seized 1.93 kg gold worth Rs 17 crore and 62,400 cigarette sticks in separate cases.

All the accused were held following tip offs.

In the first case, smuggled gold weighing 1,399 grams in the form of bars, worth Rs 84.8 lakh, was seized from a passenger who had arrived at Hyderabad from Dubai. On further investigation, it was found that the gold was planned to be taken out through an airport staff member and the same was foiled by Customs in a swift interception.

Both the accused were placed under arrest.

In the second case, 527 grams of smuggled gold, worth Rs 31.8 lakh, was recovered from a passenger who arrived at Hyderabad from Jeddah.

"The gold was concealed in the rectum of the person in the form of two capsules. We also seized 62,400 smuggled cigarette sticks from two passengers who arrived from Bangkok and Dubai," said the official.