As many as 26 recently-launched iPhone 16 Pro Max have been seized by the customs officials from a woman passenger at the international airport. The woman, in late thirties, who was travelling from Hong Kong, had concealed the recently launched phones inside her vanity bag, officials confirmed. The woman had concealed the recently-launched hi-tech phones inside her vanity bag, wrapped in tissue papers

The passenger, in late thirties, was intercepted after her arrival from Hong Kong on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Customs department on Wednesday.

“On a detailed personal and baggage search of the passenger, 26 iPhone 16 Pro Max concealed in her vanity bag wrapped in tissue papers were recovered,” it said. While the woman has not been arrested, an investigation is underway to determine whether this incident is isolated or part of a larger smuggling syndicate dealing in high-end electronic goods.

“The recovered iPhones have been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is under progress,” the statement said.

The Pro Max is the top model in the iPhone 16 series. Based on intelligence inputs, a lady passenger travelling from Hongkong to Delhi carrying 26 iPhone 16 Pro Max concealed inside her vanity bag (wrapped in tissue paper) was intercepted at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, the officials said, adding that further investigation was underway.

The phones, attempted to have been smuggled into the country, are estimated to worth over Rs 37 lakh. The iPhone 16 series, launched earlier this month, includes Apple’s most premium flagship phone, the Pro Max model. In India, prices for the iPhone 16 Pro Max start at Rs 1,44,900 for the 256GB variant.

Meanwhile, in the Hong Kong the same 256GB storage variant costs HK$ 1,099, which converts to around Rs 1,09,913. So, there’s a difference of Rs 34,987 between the price of iPhone 16 Pro Max in the two countries.