Amritsar airport seizure trail: ₹ 18 lakhs worth foreign currency, gold seizure unveils ₹ 7-cr smuggling racket

Custom officials on Monday claimed to have busted gang of smuggling of foreign currencies and gold at the Amritsar airport which has unveiled a major smuggling racket.

Custom officials on Monday claimed to have busted gang of smuggling of foreign currencies and gold at the Amritsar airport which has unveiled a major smuggling racket.

The female passenger and the main gang operator were arrested and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Amritsar, who granted two days remand to the Customs department. Further investigation is in progress. (HT photo)

As per the information shared by Rahul Nangare, Commissioner of Customs (P), Amritsar, a female passenger who was to board the Air India Flight IX-191 to Dubai was intercepted on Sunday by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel while carrying out security checks. As foreign currency was noticed with her, she was handed over to the Customs officials posted at the airport for further investigation.

“During her personal search, the Customs officers found the foreign currency valued at ₹ 18.18 lakh (including Rs. 4.10 lakh worth Euros; ₹ 4.53 lakh worth GB Pounds and ₹ 7.91 lakh worth of Australian Dollars and some other currencies) was found concealed in a pouch tied at waist of the passenger. On further interrogation, it was revealed that this female passenger was part of a racket of smugglers involved in smuggling out foreign currency and smuggling in gold,” he said.

Nangare said, “During further investigation, another person, who was the main person carrying out this operation was intercepted by the Customs officers. During interrogation of both persons, it was revealed that foreign currency worth more than ₹ 2.05 crore was smuggled out and gold valued more than ₹ 5 crore was smuggled in so far from various airport in India”.

The female passenger and the main gang operator were arrested and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Amritsar, who granted two days remand to the Customs department. Further investigation is in progress.

The Commissioner of Customs thanked the officials of CISF and commended their alertness, while carrying out security checks, which have resulted in similar currency seizure cases at Amritsar Airport in the past few months.