NEW DELHI: In three separate incidents involving passengers bound for different flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport, customs officials on Monday seized US dollars, narcotics and gold allegedly being smuggled.
Acting on a tip-off from revenue intelligence officers, customs officials intercepted a passenger travelling to Dubai to board flight AI-4309, from whom they recovered over USD 15,000 in currency notes.
“A thorough examination of his checked-in baggage led to the recovery of USD 15,500 (roughly Rs 14.8 lakh) concealed in a fake bottom of the baggage and inside the cap of a casserole,” officers said.
In another incident, Air Intelligence Unit searched an Indigo flight from Bangkok (6E 1064) after it landed at the Delhi airport.
The search resulted in the recovery of one package weighing 498 grams of ganjha (hydroponic weed) left behind by a passenger inside the plane. The recovered substance has been handed over for further necessary action under the NDPS Act, 1985.
In the last incident of the day, a passenger travelling from Riyadh to Mumbai by Indigo flight 6E 315 was intercepted at Terminal 1.
The passenger was carrying some household goods along with a cookware set in his checked-in luggage. X-ray screening flagged suspicious images in his luggage.
Thorough examination revealed 15 cut pieces of 24-carat gold, totalling 523 grams, cleverly concealed inside the solid core of a cookware lid. Later, the passenger was apprehended.
Further investigation is underway.