The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport’s Customs Department on Monday detained two crew members employed with the Air India for allegedly smuggling sandalwood. The detained duo has been identified as Milina Dabur and Nibhiya Kumar. The department has recovered 46 kg of sandalwood from their registered baggage. The price of the seized sandalwood may be around Rs1,000 per kg in the Indian market; however, this price increases multifold when sold in the international market.
Air India has suspended the two accused crew members in the case and has ordered a high-level probe into the matter. Meanwhile, a team of Customs Department members questioned the two accused till Monday evening trying to find the names of others involved in this illegal racket. The duo was detained at the Delhi Airport at 12.30 am, just before the Delhi-Hong Kong flight, which they were onboard.
Sources informed that the duo — Milina Dabur and Nibhiya Kumar — were the crew members for the Air India flight destined for Hong Kong, AI-301. Minutes before the take off, the department received a tip-off that the high priced commodity (sandalwood) will be smuggled on the flight.
Acting on the input, the department got the entire check-in baggage of the passengers checked. In this process, the department officials were able to see the visuals of sandalwood being carried in huge quantities in two bags with the help of in-line baggage. “The two bags containing huge quantities of sandalwood were checked-in through the boarding passes of Milina Dabur and Nibhiya Kumar. After intimating the incident to the senior Air India officials, the Customs Department detained the two for questioning. They were questioned for almost 12 hours,” said a senior official.