Customs sleuths seize foreign currencies worth over Rs 22 lakh

VASCO: The air intelligence unit (AIU) of customs has seized assorted foreign currencies equivalent to Indian Rs 22,30,610 from four international passengers, who were trying to board a flight to Sharjah.

As per information available from sources in the AIU of customs, the sleuths, while performing their duty, intercepted four international passengers late Saturday night based on profiling. The passengers were about to board an Air Arabia flight G9 493 to Sharjah.

A search of the hand baggage of the passengers resulted in the discovery of the assorted foreign currencies equivalent to Indian Rs 22,30,610.

The customs sleuths said that the four passengers were moving suspiciously in the departure hall before the check-in formalities and could not provide satisfactory answers when confronted by them. During their interrogation, the four passengers broke down and confessed that they were trying to smuggle the assorted currencies to Sharjah.

The currency was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act and Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Officers of the air customs Goa headed by assistant commissioner under the supervision of additional commissioner of customs Goa T R Gajalakshmi conducted the whole exercise under the overall guidance of commissioner of customs R Manohar. Further investigation is in progress.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Goa customs at the Dabolim airport has seized 5 kilograms of gold valued to Rs 1.48 crore, foreign currency worth Rs 26.38 lakh and commercial goods in trade quantity of Rs 35.2 lakh since April 2018.