Air Customs seized smuggled gold worth Rs.1.14 crore

Air Customs officials has seized smuggled gold worth Rs.1.14 crore. The officials has busted a new technique used by the smugglers to smuggle gold.

After getting a specific tip-off, the customs officials has searched Indigo flight 6E-66 coming from Dubai. On searching, five rectangular heavy pieces wrapped with black adhesive tape and tied with a thread along with a metal piece were found in the hollow pipe portion in one of the seats. On cutting it open, 10 gold bars with foreign markings each totally weighing 1.16kg and valued at Rs. 57.1 lakhs.

The same flight then operated to Guwahati as Flight 6E627 and returned back to Chennai as Flight 6E623. The customs then arrested a person named Mohabath Khan, who traveled from Guwahati to Chennai on the same seat from which the gold was recovered earlier,. Customs recovered 5 rectangular heavy pieces wrapped with black adhesive tape and tied with a thread along with a metal piece  concealed in a cloth pouch tied along his waist concealed under his shirt.  On cut opening, 10 gold bars  weighing 1.16 kg and valued at Rs. 57.1 lakhs were recovered.