NEW DELHI: A man has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle gold valuing Rs 81 lakh into the country at the international airport here.
The passenger was intercepted by customs officials after his arrival here on Sunday. On detailed examination of his baggage and personal search, it was found that the passenger had concealed two gold 'kadas' (bracelets) and was bringing gold through white metal coated rings fixed inside the stitch buttons of baby pants and hiding it inside the metal eyelets of the leather belts, a press release issued today by the customs said.
The total weight of recovered gold was 3.1 kg valuing about Rs 81.36 lakh, it said. "The passenger had used a novel modus operandi to smuggle the gold into India. The passenger had taken a flight from Dubai to Kenya, Kenya to Addis Ababa and then Addis Ababa to Delhi instead of flying directly from Dubai to Delhi," the release said.
Customs officials at the international airport keep a strict vigil on passengers coming from the Gulf sector, including Dubai. The passenger was arrested and the gold was seized, it said.