AHMEDABAD: Indian Air Intelligence Unit of Customs Department has arrested two men for smuggling gold worth 1.5 million within two days at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Customs officials said that they has detected five cases of gold smuggling since Sunday.
Suleman who had arrived from Air India Mumbai flight AI-331 was caught with 355.290 gram gold worth Rs 9.29 lakh. “He was detained on the basis of suspicion and two gold bars concealed in his rectum were recovered. He was a domestic passenger and had picked up gold from an international passenger travelling in the same flight,” said an official.
In another case, Jay Batra coming in SpiceJet Mumbai flight SG-016 late on Thursday night was held with 233.28 gram gold worth Rs 6.13 lakh. “We recovered two gold bars from Batra which he had hidden in his shoes,” added the official.
According to sources, both Suleman and Batra were smuggling the yellow metal for the first time. This is the 11th such incident in 2015. Since January 2014, around 66.38 kg of gold, worth Rs 17.33 crore, has been seized at the airport by Customs and DRI and 75 smugglers have been detained.
Further investigation in the case was on.
Earlier this week, three men were held with 216 gram, 233 gram and 1.05 kg gold worth Rs 38 lakh concealed in their rectums
