Customs officials in Delhi arrested an Indian passenger coming from the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), for allegedly smuggling gold concealed in his undergarments.
The accused was intercepted by the officials after his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Sunday, December 8.
In a post on X, Delhi Customs said that the 39-year-old Rajasthani passenger travelling from Dubai to New Delhi by flight no 6E 1464 was arrested on the basis of intelligence inputs.
Upon detailed examination of the baggage and personal search of the passenger, two uneven rectangular-shaped pouches suspected to contain gold in paste form having gross weight of 2723 grams were revealed. The pouches included silver adhesive tape used for concealment in undergarments worn by the passenger.
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Further, four uneven, rectangular-shaped gold bars, totalling 2491 grams and a value of Rs 1,81,35,102, were recovered from the gold paste.
Following the arrest of the accused under the Customs Act of 1962, the officials confiscated the undeclared gold from him. Further investigations are underway.
Gold smugglers are increasingly employing innovative methods to circumvent customs authorities.
In recent months, gold-smuggling incidents have been reported, primarily by Middle-East expatriates, in various forms and modes.
As per Indian customs, male passengers can carry 20 grams of duty-free gold in jewellery or bars, up to Rs 50,000, with any excess subject to customs duty. The duty-free gold limit for female travellers is set at 40 grams.
