Gold worth Rs 7.5 lakh hidden in bandage ceased at Chennai airport

mangaloretoday.com/ yahoo

Chennai, DEc.07, 2020: Gold smugglers have gotten extra innovative and are finding new or rather bizarre ways to smuggle gold into the country, often hiding it in strange places or objects. However, despite all their planning, they still end up getting caught, thanks to our alert officers. One such instance surfaced at Chennai airport on Sunday where a passenger had hidden gold worth Rs 7.5 lakh stuck under a medical bandage on his back. Also Read - Gold Worth Rs 35.5 Lakh Recovered from Smuggler’s Rectum at Chennai Airport

In a statement, the Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport, said on Sunday, Ahamed Anas who had arrived from Dubai by an Air India Express flight, was intercepted at exit gate by an alert customs officer on noticing an abnormal bulge on his upper back. When he was searched, it was noticed that a big size medical bandage was stuck on his upper back.

On removing the bandage, two packets of gold paste weighing 168 grams were recovered. On extraction, 147 grams of 24K purity gold valued at Rs. 7.5 lakh was recovered and seized under Customs Act.

Prior to this on Saturday, two passengers, identified as Jumma Khan and Mohamed Rafi who arrived from Dubai by Air India, were intercepted at the exit. On their personal search, four packets of gold paste in plastic pouches, weighing 176 grams, were found to be ingeniously stitched to the bottom portion of their jeans.

On extraction, 142 grams of gold of 24K purity, valued at Rs 7.23 lakh, was recovered and seized under Customs Act. Further investigation is on.