NEW DELHI: Gold worth about Indian Rs. 1 crore was seized at the Cochin International Airport from a passenger from Dubai. The Customs Intelligence Unit found 3.7 kilos of gold bars stashed under the 30F seat of the SpiceJet aircraft that flew in from Dubai on Wednesday morning.
A Sri Lankan citizen, has been arrested. He has confessed to smuggling in the ten bars of gold. The customs sleuths, however, could not identify the carrier who was supposed to carry the gold during the aircraft’s onward flight to Chennai. They are keeping a tab on the passengers who boarded the aircraft from Kochi.
The accused has admitted to have smuggled in 20 kilos of gold to India through Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and Kochi airports.
The Customs Intelligence unit at the Calicut International Airport has arrested a Kasaragod native for trying to sneak in gold worth Rs 8 lakh from Sharjah.
Haris Bakel (30) from Pallikkara had disguised 300 grams of gold as silver-coloured spring rings inside a steel door handle. The Customs officials had not come across such a method till now.
Haris arrived at Karipur on August 22. The Customs officials had kept his baggage for examination as some articles in it were found to be suspicious. He was held on Wednesday when he returned to the airport to collect the baggage.
The gold was recovered with the help of a mechanic and goldsmith.
Haris had gone to Dubai in search of work three months ago. He said he had been trapped by a smuggling racquet.
