A Singapore Airlines crew member was arrested at the Delhi airport on Monday for smuggling gold worth ₹31.25 lakh, stated a press release issued by the Customs Department on Tuesday.
He had allegedly smuggled gold successfully the first time on January 8. He was supposed to hand over the gold, fashioned into a chain and bangle, to an agent at a prominent hotel in Delhi in return for S$500 (Singapore dollars) or around ₹25,000.
The crew member was stopped for random check and frisked on Monday.
“On Monday, Customs officials intercepted a crew member of Singapore Airlines, who had arrived from Singapore at Terminal 3. He was frisked and this led to the seizure of 1.04 kg of gold,” the press release added.
A Customs official said he was wearing the gold chain and bangle under his uniform to evade detection. “He admitted to carrying the same amount of gold the same way the last time,” he said.
The accused told the officials that he had met an agent in Singapore. The agent gave him the gold with instructions to pass it on to another agent in Delhi.
“Singapore Airlines confirms that a member of its cabin crew operating on Singapore Airlines flight SQ-402 on Monday was detained by the Delhi Customs authorities...,” said an airline spokesperson.
