KOZHIKODE: In continuing haul of gold being smuggled from the gulf region, customs officials seized more than six kg of gold worth about Rs 1.75 crore and arrested two passengers at the Karipur international airport here.
Air Customs Intelligence officials seized 30 gold biscuits worth Rs 95 lakh and 12 gold bars valued at Rs 80 lakh from the passengers who arrived from Abu Dhabi and Muscat respectively, airport officials said.
In the first seizure, the gold biscuits, weighing about 3.5 kg, were found concealed in an emergency lamp in the baggage of Safvan Thayyil, hailing from Thaliparamba in Kannur district.
Twelve gold bars weighing about three kgs were seized from Kottakunnil Jabir of nearby Koduvally. He had also kept the precious metal hidden inside an emergency lamp.
The seizures were made during checking of the baggage of the passengers, who had been arrested.
Customs officials have foiled a number of bids to smuggle gold from gulf nations and Singapore through airports in the southern region, especially Chennai, Kochi, Kozhikode and Mangaluru, in the past few weeks and have seized large quantity of the precious metal.
