Gold worth Rs 18 Lakh hidden as power bank screws, switches seized at Kerala Airport, 3 held
Mangalore Today News Network / News18
Kochi, Nov 27, 2020: Officials of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) in Kochi, Kerala have seized 24 kilograms gold amounting to at least Rs 18 lakh at the Kozhikode International Airport from two passengers who arrived from Dubai on Friday.
Based on information, Calicut AIU Batch C Seized 364 gms of 24K gold worth Rs.18 lakh from two passengers travelling from Dubai in Fly dubai flight No.FZ 4313. Gold was concealed in the shape of screws in power extension devices and switches in check in Baggages.@cbic_india pic.twitter.com/LBgbKFgqND
— Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive), Cochin (@ccphqrskochi) November 27, 2020
Gold seizures are a common occurrence at airports as often perpetrators try to smuggle valuables through indigenous means.
Kannur AIU Batch C Seized 463 gms of gold from a passenger who arrived from Dubai in flight No. IX 1744. The Gold was concealed in the shape of 3 capsules in his rectum.@cbic_india @cgstcustvm pic.twitter.com/YxvzGdkV7p
— Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive), Cochin (@ccphqrskochi) November 27, 2020
But this particular incident caught the attention of officials as they found the accused has hidden the gold in the form of screw-in power bank devices and switches in their checked-in baggages.
Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive), Kochi tweeted, "Acting on a tip, Calicut AIU Batch C seized the gold from the passengers travelling in Flydubai flight no. FZ 4313. The 24 K gold was concealed in the shape of screws in power extension devices and switches in check-in Baggage."
The Commisionerate also tweeted about another incident of seized gold where a passenger had concealed 463 grams of gold in the shape of 3 capsules in his rectum.The state of Kerala was in July shaken up by the gold scam incident that led to the suspension and and arrest of IAS officer M Sivasankar in connection with the case. Customs officials at the airport coming across 30 kg of gold, worth about Rs 15 core, in diplomatic baggage on July 4. The gold was found in baggage linked to the United Arab Emirates Consulate in the state.