CHENNAI : Customs department officials foiled bids to smuggle gold worth Rs 55 lakh and foreign currency worth Rs 12.6 lakh, at Chennai airport and arrested one person
.On Tuesday, Fasil Chittangadan (40) of Malapuram, Kerala, and Abdul Assain Akbar Ali (41) of Nagapattinam, who had arrived by Indigo flight, were intercepted at exit on suspicion of carrying gold.
On personal search of Faisal, three bundles of rubbery gold paste were found concealed in rectum. On extraction, 653 grams gold worth Rs 23.4 lakh was recovered. One gold chain weighing 188 grams valued at Rs 6.7 lakh was recovered from Abdul Assain.
In another case, Inayathulla (41) of Nagore, who was bound for Dubai by Emirates flight, was intercepted by the Air Intelligence Unit officers in the departure terminal, when he was proceeding towards security hold after clearing immigration, on suspicion that he might be carrying foreign or Indian currency.
On examination of his hand baggage, 9600 UAE Dirhams valued at Rs 1.75 lakh were found concealed. Further, 61000 Saudi Riyals valued at Rs 10.85 lakh were recovered from his check-in bag. Total currency worth Rs 12.6 lakh was seized as he had not declared the same.
In another case, AIU Officers intercepted Rahumathul Kaneema (46) of Sri Lanka, who had arrived from Colombo by Srilankan Airlines. On personal search, four bundles of gold in rubbery material were found concealed in rectum. On extraction, 690 grams gold worth Rs 24.7 lakh was recovered. The passenger was arrested. Further investigation is under progress, a release stated.
67.6 lakh
Overall, bids to smuggle gold worth Rs 55 lakh and foreign currency worth Rs 12.6 lakh by four persons arriving from various places, were foiled by Customs department officials at Chennai airport