CHENNAI: Customs officials at Chennai
airport on Saturday seized 13kg of gold worth 4 crore from a passenger. This is one of the biggest seizures in the last few weeks after 40kg gold was found left behind at the airport's toilets by two Chinese nationals last month.
Customs officials said Padma Amble Venkataramaiah, 52, a resident of Chickamagalur, Karnataka, who holds an Indian passport, arrived from Dubai by an Air India flight (AI 906) on Saturday morning.
Customs officials said as the passenger who appeared nervous while walking. She was detained for questioning. Customs officials found her responses evasive and non-satisfactory. The passenger was frisked by a woman officer.
Customs sources said during frisking, the officer noticed that passenger's kurta was unusually thick around the waist.
When searched further, 25 gold chains found tied around her waist. Officials recovered four gold bracelet, two on each wrist, concealed under the sleeves.
The recovered items were of 24 carat purity and weighed 13kg worth 4 crore. The gold was seized under the Customs Act and the passenger arrested, customs officials said.
Representative image