KOCHI: In yet another instance of smugglers getting creative, a Thrissur native was nabbed earlier this month at Kochi airport while trying to sneak towels covered in gold past customs officials. Fahad, 26, was intercepted after he landed from Dubai on October 10. During inspection, Customs officials found a wet bath towel kept in a cover inside his luggage. When asked about it, Fahad said he had taken a bath at Dubai airport. However, after four more wet towels were found in the baggage, the officials opened the cover. The towels were covered in gold.
“In such cases, the yellow metal is melted and the towels are dipped in it, causing gold particles to stick to the cloth. The metal is later retrieved using a chemical process,” said a customs official.“Earlier this month, another smuggler was nabbed. He had painted the inside of a cardboard box with liquid gold,” said the official.
The officials said since many people are getting frequently nabbed while trying to smuggle gold by concealing it inside their rectum, smugglers are coming up with new ways to sneak the precious metal into the state.
That doesn’t mean the old method is no longer used. The customs air intelligence unit (AIU) at Kochi airport recently arrested a Malappuram native while he tried to smuggle 1.185kg of gold compound worth Rs 44 lakh after concealing it in his rectum. Muneer of Kadampuzha had landed at the airport in the wee hours and cleared initial checks.
However, an AIU officer intercepted him in the airport’s green channel and seized four capsules of gold compound that was concealed in his rectum.On Thursday night, Mannarkkad native Anas, who arrived from Sharjah, was intercepted by the AIU with 1.931kg of gold at Kochi.