KOCHI: The Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs Department on Sunday seized gold worth Rs 26 lakh at the Cochin International Airport from a passenger who had arrived by an Air India Express flight from Sharjah.
The rhodium-plated crude gold wires, weighing 931.8 gm, were seized from Muhammed Ashraf of Kasaragod.
A case has been registered against him under provisions of the Customs Act-1962.
The passenger, who had concealed the contraband in his baggage, was intercepted at the exit gate of the arrival hall. After a detailed examination, the assayer certified that gold wires are of 24 carat purity.
“A similar seizure was made in the first week of this month, in which 1.4 kg of gold, worth `40 Lakh, was seized from a native of Kasaragod,” said Assistant Commissioner of Customs Sanjay Bangartale.
Sunday’s operation was carried out by Customs Superintendents M Shairaj, Koshy Alex, R Shyju, M R Ramachandran, K Madhukumar and K K Somasundaran; and inspectors O F Jose, Pappu Bhagat and Anand Kumar.