NEW DEHLI: Indian Customs seized 40 gold bars worth Rs 10.52 million at Mumbai International Airport and arrested two smugglers, including one airport staffer and a passenger from Bangkok Airways Flight PG 733.
According to the airport customs, a passenger, Kiran Chaudhari, landed at the Mumbai International and handed over the consignment to Rohan Surve, a passenger service assistant of ground handling agency Celebi Nas.
Surve was stopped while he was trying to cross the customs clearance checkpoint, and the officials found the gold was hidden in a vehicle battery-shaped box, which had been kept in a bag containing airmail. A search revealed 32 gold bars, totally weighing 4.8 kg. Chaudhari was found waiting outside the terminal building.
The commissioner of customs (airport), APS Suri, said, “Initially, our team recovered 32 gold bars. Another eight bars were recovered from the coat pockets of the accused, Surve. Each of these bars weighed 152 gm and had foreign markings.” The customs officials said that Surve told them he had smuggled in mobile phones in the past, but this was the first time that he attempte d t o smuggle in gold.
