Passenger From Jeddah Held With Gold Rods Worth ₹1.02 Crore Hidden In Electric Irons At Mumbai Airport

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Mumbai Airport Customs officials have arrested a passenger who had arrived from Jeddah in a case of gold smuggling, agency officials said on Sunday. The passenger was allegedly carrying two electric irons and on breaking open the irons, led to recovery of 16 gold rods valued at Rs 1.02 crore.

According to the AIU sources, based on specific intelligence, on the day duty of 4th April, baggage of one passenger who had arrived from Jeddah was marked suspicious by the surveillance team. The said baggage was scanned in detail and two electric irons showed dark images in the Baggage Scanning Machine.

"On breaking open the irons, it led to recovery of 24Kt gold rods (16 pieces total) having net weight of 1200 grams valued at Rs 1.02 crore. The said passenger was then placed under arrest under the provisions of Customs Act. We are now probing who was the supplier of the said consignment and who was supposed to receive the same in Mumbai," said a Customs officer.

Last month, Customs Officers of CSMI Airport, Mumbai, seized Significant quantity of Gold across 04 cases, having a total Gross weight of 10.923 Kg, provisionally valued at Rs. 8.47 crore. Earlier last month, the Mumbai Airport Customs officials in two separate cases had seized smuggled gold totally worth Rs 3.60 crore. The agency officials have arrested four persons, including three airport staff in these cases.

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