PANAJI: The commissionerate of customs made yet another gold seizure at the Dabolim international airport by foiling an attempt to smuggle gold worth 25.20 lakh on Friday. The plan was allegedly hatched by two passengers who had flown in on a Dubai-Goa plane. The suspects – one of whom boarded in Dubai and the other during a layover in Mumbai – were apprehended on suspicion as they began acting nervous while passing through the green channel exit at the airport.
Mailappy Inayatulla and Shahid Mohammed allegedly failed to declare the 1.05 kg of gold they were carrying and stated that the value of the goods imported by them was nil. Upon suspicion, customs officials decided to interrogate and frisk the two passengers. During the search, nine gold bars were allegedly discovered hidden in the rectum of Mohammed. Each gold bar weighed 10 tolas and the total value of the haul was Rs 25.20 lakh.
“During the course of investigation, Mohammed revealed the gold was handed over to him by Inayatulla – who boarded in Dubai – in the flight enroute to Goa,” additional commissioner G B Santimano said.
“The gold has been seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act 1962, based on the premise that it was being smuggled into the country, and is thus liable for confiscation under Section 111 of the Act,” Santimano said.
He added that the two passengers will be arrested once the investigation is complete.
Despite a staff crunch, Goa customs has been remarkably vigilant, with the department having foiled over a score of attempts to smuggle gold into the country. Interestingly, smugglers seem to prefer the same Air India flight that arrives from Dubai in the early hours of the morning.
