Lucknow: 13 detained at Amausi with Rs 71 lakh worth cigarettes, gold

LUCKNOW: In one of the biggest crackdown against smuggling of foreign origin goods via flights post Covid-19 lockdown, at least 13 passengers were detained along with over Rs 71 lakh worth cigarettes, perfumes and gold by the custom department at Lucknow’s Amausi airport.
The smuggled goods were seized on Saturday from back-to-back two flights — Fly Dubai and Air India Express — which were coming from Sharjah and Dubai.
Speaking to TOI, deputy commissioner, customs, Amausi airport, Niharika Lakha, said, “Total Rs 71,04, 011 worth of goods were seized from the passengers of two flights. The smuggled goods included ESSE Lights brand cigarettes worth over Rs 53 lakh, perfume worth Rs 2 lakh and 288 gram of gold worth Rs 15,28,011.”
According to custom department, three gold biscuits were found concealed in the inner side of the belt area of jeans, while suitcase full of cigarettes and perfume were caught during luggage scanning “Majority of the detained passengers were from Delhi, Rampur, Gorakhpur and Patna. They all were heading Delhi with the smuggled goods. However, it is yet not ascertained whether all the accused men were working as individuals to earn quick buck from selling foreign origins goods in national capital, or work as gang, or for a gang,” said a custom official.
Sources claimed that about four lakh pieces of South Korean brand cigarettes, which are meant specifically for women because of their lower tar and nicotine content, were supposed to be taken Delhi via expressway after landing at Amausi airport. Further, at least 26 bottles of perfume were recovered with each one costing above Rs 58,000.
“During interrogation with detained passengers, we found that they were involved in the smuggling business for long time. As soon the air service restriction was removed they started their operation in order to fulfil the massive demand of their clients based in Delhi and NCR area,” said source. Till the filing of this report, the custom department was still questioning the detained passengers.