Air intelligence unit officials at Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli airport seized a significant amount of gold, totalling 977 grams and valued at ₹70.58 lakh, from a passenger arriving from Dubai.
The gold was ingeniously concealed in three packets containing the paste-like material hidden in the passenger's rectum.
The individual, travelling on an Air India flight from Dubai to Trichy, has been detained in connection with the incident, with a further investigation underway.
This isn't the first instance of such smuggling attempts at Tiruchirappalli Airport. In March, officials seized 410 grams of gold, worth ₹26.62 lakh, from a passenger arriving from Singapore.
The confiscated gold comprised 330 grams of 24K gold extracted from paste-like material and an additional 80 grams concealed within the passenger's vest.
Similarly, the customs department at the Mumbai airport recently intercepted a substantial cache of diamonds and gold, collectively valued at ₹6.46 crore, in 13 separate cases.
The officials apprehended four passengers involved in these smuggling attempts.
The diamonds were discreetly hidden inside noodle packets sealed in transparent airtight pouches within a check-in bag, while the gold was concealed in various parts of the passengers' luggage and even on their bodies.
In another incident, an Indian national travelling from Mumbai to Bangkok was apprehended for attempting to smuggle diamonds worth ₹2.02 crore through concealment.
The individual was arrested and remanded to custody following a court appearance.
Moreover, gold dust embedded in wax was allegedly discovered concealed within the body parts of certain passengers.
Additionally, gold bars were recovered from passengers' trousers, pockets, baggage, and even undergarments. In total, officials seized 6.81 kilograms of gold during these operations.
Furthermore, 10 Indian nationals arriving from various destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Doha (Qatar), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Muscat (Oman), Bangkok (Thailand), and Singapore were found attempting to smuggle 6.19 kilograms of gold into the country.
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