BENGALURU: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Bengaluru, seized 4.249 gram gold worth Rs 2.63 crore from two passengers at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
This is the fourth case of smuggled gold being seized by the DRI at Bengaluru airport in February. So far, the Central agency has seized around 20kg gold worth Rs 12.44 crore in all four operations, sources said.
Based on credible inputs, DRI sleuths on February 28 intercepted a Thai national, who arrived in Bengaluru from Singapore by Air India. Examination of the passenger led to the recovery of 2,751gm gold in the form of crude jewellery – a bangle and chain concealed in his baggage.
In the second case, the DRI intercepted a passenger who arrived from Dubai by an Emirates flight, and recovered a gold bar weighing 1,498gm from his pocket. Both passengers were arrested.
Flyers smuggling gold, currency nabbed
The Air Intelligence Unit of Customs recently seized nearly 825 gram of gold from a Thai national and Rs 52 lakh in cash from an Indian flying abroad at KIA.
According to an official release, an Indian national, who was flying from Bengaluru to Kuala Lumpur and was carrying Rs 51, 95, 500 in bundles of Rs 500 currency notes in his hand baggage as well as check-in baggage, was caught on the night of February 29. The Thai National was intercepted smuggling gold in paste form from Dubai to Bengaluru by Indigo Airlines (flight 6E-1486) on March 1.