In a major seizure, two Sri lankans have been arrested at the IGI Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold bars weighing 20 kilo. Acting on Intelligence, the duo was intercepted by Customs officials after their arrival here from Mumbai on Friday.
On examination of their hand baggage, bullion weighing 20 kilo were found. They were carrying 10 kilo gold each, a customs official said. The value of the recovered gold is about Rs 5.25 crore, he said. The flight was coming from Muscat. The duo had boarded the flight to Delhi from Mumbai. The gold was hidden beneath their seats by their accomplice.
Customs officials were trying to identify the persons who had hidden the gold below their seats, the official said. last week, customs officials had seized gold bars valued at over Rs 1 crore from seven passengers, who were allegedly trying to smuggle it into the country, at the airport. These passengers had come from Dubai and Bangkok and were collectively carrying gold bars and jewellery weighing 4.319 kilo, customs officials had said. The value of seized gold was assessed to be Rs 1.10 crore.
In another incident, three persons were arrested on February 16 for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold bars valued at about Rs 1 crore at the airport here. The accused were intercepted by Customs officials after their arrival from Sharjah. On detailed examination of their baggage, gold bars weighing 3.932 kilo was recovered, Customs officials said.