KOCHI: The Customs Air Intelligence Unit at Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) on Thursday intercepted two persons in separate incidents of suspected foreign currency smuggling. Customs officers seized foreign currency worth `26 lakh from two persons. One of them is a Swiss national.Both the incidents took place at the international departure area of the airport in the wee hours of Thursday. In the first incident, a Swiss national and machinery expert, who was to board a flight to Dubai, was intercepted by the agency.
“Euro notes worth around `16 lakh were found in his possession. He admitted that he frequently visits a factory in Coimbatore. He was not aware of Indian customs norms against carrying foreign currency beyond a certain limit,” a Customs officer said.
It was found that the Swiss national had visited Coimbatore more than 50 times in recent years. Later, he was slapped with a fine and the currency was returned to him. In the second incident, a Thiruvananthapuram native was booked for possessing $28,500 while boarding a flight to Dubai.
“The seized dollars were worth C20.19 lakh. We suspect it to be a currency smuggling attempt. The passenger was interrogated. He has been asked to provide the source of the foreign currency. A case has been registered against him,” a Customs officer said.