AHMEDABAD: In a major crackdown on international gold smuggling, the Customs Department at Ahmedabad airport has seized gold worth more than Rs 4.26 crore that was ingeniously hidden inside the lavatory speaker box on the Dubai-Ahmedabad IndiGo flight.
The seizure has exposed a new smuggling tactic and kicked off a hunt for the mastermind behind the operation.
The dramatic recovery was made during a detailed inspection of IndiGo flight 6E-1478 on June 12. Unlike attempts in the past where smugglers tried to walk through customs with concealed gold, this time, they allegedly turned the aircraft itself into a hiding place.
During the search operation, Customs officers, assisted by aircraft engineers, examined the front lavatory of the aircraft and found two suspicious pouches wrapped in black plastic tape and hidden inside the speaker box.
When the packets were opened, officials found 24 gold biscuits of 999.0 purity concealed inside.
According to Customs officials, the seized gold weighed a total of 2,799.3 grams and has an estimated market value of Rs 4,26,89,325. The recovery left investigators stunned as it reflected a well-planned operation designed to bypass airport surveillance and passenger screening.
"The method of concealment clearly indicates a deliberate attempt. The gold was secretly stashed by an unknown person with the intention of evading Customs checks," officials said.
Investigators believe the latest seizure points to an evolving network of organised smugglers who are rapidly changing their strategies after repeated crackdowns.
Just a day earlier, Customs officials had seized gold hooks worth more than Rs 60 lakh from passengers arriving at the airport.
With couriers increasingly coming under strict surveillance, smugglers appear to be shifting to innovative concealment methods that reduce the risk of direct possession.
However, this new strategy also failed.
As no individual came forward to claim legal ownership of the recovered gold, the entire consignment was seized as 'unclaimed property' under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Customs authorities have now launched a detailed investigation to identify the person who concealed the gold, trace the intended recipient, and expose the larger smuggling syndicate believed to be operating behind the scenes.
Officials maintain that surveillance at Ahmedabad airport has been intensified and that every unusual movement linked to international flights, particularly those arriving from high-risk routes, is under close watch.
