Disguised as cheap goods, diamonds worth ₹1.56 crore seized at Delhi airport

Customs, said that the diamonds were being exported through air cargo after being concealed in packets of “plastic hot fix” material

Diamonds worth ₹1.56 crore were seized at the Delhi airport, Delhi customs said on Friday. Sanjay Bansal, commissioner (export), Customs, said that the diamonds were being exported through air cargo after being concealed in packets of “plastic hot fix” material.

The investigation revealed that the consignment was being sent to Hong Kong. (REUTERS/Representative Image)

“On Thursday, the officers of Air Cargo Export Commissionerate, Delhi, on the basis of suspicion, examined a consignment that was declared as ‘plastic hot fix’ with a value of ₹5,000. Our officers found that the packet contained cut and polished diamonds weighing 1082 carats. Hot fix sparklers were pasted on the packet to avoid detection,” he said.

The investigation revealed that the consignment was being sent to Hong Kong. “This appears to be a unique case of sending diamonds out of the country through concealment in the parcels through air cargo. This is one of the largest seizures of polished diamonds in Delhi in recent times,” Bansal added.

The department is probing the identity of the people who brought the consignment to the airport.