CHENNAI: Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) sleuths belonging to the Customs department foiled attempts to smuggle 6kg gold worth Rs 2 crore at Chennai airport.
On Friday morning, AIU sleuths intercepted Jiyavul Haque, 25, Syed Malungu, 29, both from Ramanathapuram, and Mohd Khalifathullah, 41, of Chennai, who had arrived from Colombo by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight, on suspicion of carrying gold.
Later, two more passengers -- Shiva, 31, of Villupuram and Farzana Begum Tajuddin, 46, of Mumbai -- who arrived from Dubai by an Indigo Airlines flight, were also intercepted. During a personal search, gold in rubbery spread was found concealed in their rectum.
Earlier, in a separate case on Thursday night, AIU officers detained Feroz Khan, 24, of Chennai, Syed Sikkandar, 26, of Virudhunagar, Mohamed Munas, 46, and Jawseer, 44, both from Colombo, and gold in rubbery form kept concealed in their rectum was recovered.
In a separate incident on Thursday, AIU officials intercepted Sulthan Syed Ibrahim, 39, Viswanathan, 48, Mohamed Adham, 30, Sirajudeen, 38, Baisul Hug, 20, Syed Sulthan, 39, Sibirimohamed, 44, Yousuf Sahibu, 38, Abdul Haleem, 26, Naina Mohamed, 51, Puraskhan, 34, Subaiyar Ali,32, Kalandar Hyderali, 42, all hailing from Ramanathapuram, and Kalandhar Sahul Hameed, 21 of Pudukkottai, and Imam Babu, 40 and Faisath Rahman, 35, both hailing from Chennai, who had arrived from Colombo by a Spice Jet flight. The gold was found in rubbery spread form concealed in their rectum.
On extraction by heat treatment, a total of 6 kg gold worth Rs 2 crore in all the above cases was recovered and the same seized under Customs Act 1962.