The value of the gold smuggled by the syndicate is worth 72 lakh (Twitter: @Delhicustoms) Seven persons, including four staffers of IndiGo and SpiceJet airlines, were booked and later arrested by the customs department at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 72 lakh from Saudi Arabia.
Officials said three passengers from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, arrived at IGI Airport on July 20. They were intercepted while crossing the baggage search counter. The men were carrying gold bars and biscuits which they tried to hide in their bags but were caught during the search.
Jyotiraditya, Joint Commissioner of customs (IGI Airport) said, “We recovered two gold bars and one gold biscuit from two of the three passengers worth Rs 22 lakh. The third passenger accompanying them admitted he was also carrying 160 gram gold which he handed over to an Indigo airline staffer.”
After the three were interrogated, customs personnel found that three staffers of Indigo and one from SpiceJet are a part of the gang smuggling gold into the country and have been active for months.
On 21.07.2021 in a 24 hours long operation, Delhi Airport Customs busted a gold smuggling ring arresting 7 persons (2 pax caught with live consignment & 1 pax along with 4 airline staffers from Indigo & Spicejet in followup). Value of gold smuggled by syndicate is Rs. 72,46,353. pic.twitter.com/8qnsJHJd11
— Delhi Customs (@Delhicustoms) July 24, 2021
“The accused confessed to their crime and told us they smuggled 960 gram gold earlier,” said an official.
The total value of the seized gold and those smuggled in earlier has been pegged at Rs 72.46 lakh. Officials said all the accused have been arrested and further investigation is being conducted.
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