CHENNAI: Officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 5.281 kilograms of smuggled gold at the international airport here on Monday. The gold was found concealed in the rectum of two international passengers who landed here by an Air India Express flight from Kuala Lumpur and inside the aircraft’s toilets.
Acting on specific intelligence collected by the DRI Chennai Zonal unit that gold was being smuggled from Malaysia in large quantity by some smuggling gangs operating from Tiruchi, the DRI officers were deployed to mount surveillance on the suspects. They conducted detailed passenger profiling and identified suspect passengers for interception and recovery of smuggled gold. The shortlisted passengers were enquired and their passports were scrutinized. It was found that two international passengers had concealed smuggled gold in their body. Thereafter, the officers carried out a thorough search inside the aircraft. The officers found gold in various shapes packed in purses and packets wrapped in adhesive tapes concealed in the aircraft’s toilets. The value of the seized gold was put at Rs. 135 lakhs. The passengers who attempted to smuggle gold were being subjected to detailed examination. A press release from the DRI said legal action under the Customs Act, 1962 would be initiated. Further investigation is on.
