MOHALI:
Gold mafia in Dubai and Bangkok are luring people into
smuggling the precious metal and they have found innovative ways to conceal it. From coffee mugs, lunch boxes, buttons, and even rectum, they have been using all possible hideouts for smuggling the yellow metal, but still get caught at the
Chandigarh airport, which has been regularly reporting a golden haul since the start of international flights.
A senior customs officer said most of them were carriers enticed by jewellers and
gold mafia in Dubai and Bangkok. “The vigilant staff at the
airport, with the help of sources, have been foiling the bids of criminals. Chandigarh International Airport has suddenly become a hot destination for gold
smugglers, who think of it as a safe passage,” the officer added.
Since the start of international flights from the airport in September 2016, air intelligence of the customs department, baggage officers and the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) have caught approximately 41 kgs of gold worth Rs 15 crore in 35 cases.
Representative image