Chennai Air Customs recovers 1.72 kg gold; one passenger arrested

Chennai Air Customs on Wednesday recovered 1.72 kg gold worth Rs 79.78 lakhs from two passengers in two separate incidents at the Chennai Airport.

As per a statement from the Office of the Commissioner of Customs, Air Intelligence Unit, Chennai, in the first case, 1.28 kg of gold valued at Rs 59.18 lakhs was seized from a passenger coming from Thiruvananthapuram, Mohammed Anas (28). In the second case, 446 grams worth 20.6 lakhs was seized from a passenger arriving from Lucknow - Ravuathar Naina Mohamed (30).

In the first case, four black bundles and a pink colour strip were found concealed in socks kept in his trouser pocket. On cutting it open, 22 gold cut bits were recovered and seized under Customs Act. He was arrested. On questioning, he informed that the gold was concealed below one of the seats of this flight which earlier had operated from Sharjah to Tiruvananthapuram.

The second case adopted the same modus operandi. Mohamed, 30, of Chennai arrived from Lucknow and was intercepted at the domestic terminal.

One packet of gold paste was recovered from his shoe and three from his rectum. On extraction, 446 grams of gold valued at Rs 20.6 lakhs was recovered and seized under Customs Act. Questioning revealed that he had concealed the gold below one of the seats on the flight, which had earlier operated from Dubai to Lucknow on its International leg.

( With inputs from ANI )