LUDHIANA: In a major action commissioner of customs, Ludhiana has seized gold worth Rs. 26.61 lakh at Chandigarh airport from two residents of Bangkok on Monday morning. The passengers tried to smuggle the gold by concealing it in buttons of shirts but their bluff was called off by alertness of custom officials.
According to AS Ranga, Commissioner of Customs, Ludhiana “Two passengers one male and female, residents of Bangkok arrived from Bangkok by Air India flight number A1337 today at
Chandigarh International Airport around 8.50 in the morning. Both the passengers were intercepted by our staff while they were trying to cross the green channel. They were asked if whether they have any restricted or contraband item to which they denied.'
Ranga also added, “Then after X-Ray which showed some dotted image of some metallic presence, their baggage was opened and we found eight shirts having stitched buttons. On checking minutely it was found that gold was concealed in these stitched buttons and total 192 nickel coated ringlets weighing 455 grams having value of Rs. 13.84 lakh were recovered from the female passenger. Meanwhile during the search of male passenger our team recovered a gold chain, one kada and buckle of belt all of which weighing 422 grams and having value of Rs. 12.77 lakh.”
