Customs enforcers of the Air Intelligence Unit on Thursday night arrested 11 passengers at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, for smuggling in 3.11 kg of gold from Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
The passengers arrived in Hyderabad by Vande Bharat Mission flight, as part of the COVID-19 triggered evacuation.
Based on suspicion and profiling of the passengers, the Customs officials searched the baggages and frisked them, following which they found the yellow metal bullion concealed in the inner pockets of their trousers, which they were wearing, a senior officer told The Hindu.
“The total gold seized from all the passengers put together is 3.11 kgs and is valued at ₹1.66 crore,” he said.
Last week, the officials seized gold worth around ₹3.5 lakh from a person who arrived in Dubai flight. The passenger concealed 74 grams of contraband in his wristwatch.
The Customs sleuths said that in the past few weeks, there have been several instances of attempts to smuggle the yellow metal from several Gulf countries by passengers coming in Vande Bharat Mission flights across the country.
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