Hyderabad: Smugglers are adopting innovative ways to smuggle gold into India via airports and have even managed to hoodwink customs officials sometimes. However, officers from the department have been alerted to various tricks being employed and after studying tactics of smugglers, have increased their vigil at the RGI Airport Shamshabad successful to thwart smuggling their attempts.
In February, customs officials at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad seized over 13.65 kilograms of gold valued at Rs. 6.03 crore in 28 different cases. Officials found that passengers arriving from the Middle-East concealed gold in their stomach, rectum, hardware tools, mercury coated chains, and checked-in baggage.
During February, three arrests were made, stated customs officials. In two unique cases the officers found two rods, one each under 2 different seats in a flight. The gold rods were concealed under the seat cushions.
The total gold weighed 394 grams worth Rs. 24.50 lakhs was seized. In the other case, officials intercepted one passenger coming from Dubai and found gold in the form of wires concealed inside a metallic showcase article. The gold weighing 449 grams valued at Rs. 27.92 lakhs was seized.
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