Smugglers get innovative again: 2 women held at Delhi airport with 1kg gold as white wire

The two women, who are from Panipat, were returning from Bangkok. The police are still probing if they were a part of an organised smuggling racket.

Customs officials have arrested two women passengers at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) for allegedly trying to smuggle in gold weighing around 1kg worth Rs 27 lakhs. The metal was concealed in the form of wire with white coating.

The gold was concealed in the form of white wire hidden in the bags of the two women caught.

The arrested women are from Panipat and were returning from Bangkok on Sunday. They were intercepted by custom officials after they crossed the green channel. The gold wires were concealed in their bags.

“While keeping surveillance on the passengers coming from Bangkok, two women passengers, both Indian passport holders, were intercepted after the green channel. On search of their baggage, pieces of gold wire coated white weighing 1,008 gms and valued at Rs 27.30 lakh were recovered,” an official said.

He said it was being probed whether they were a part of any organised racket or just carriers.

Earlier this month, a passenger was caught by the customs officials at Delhi airport for allegedly carrying gold foils pasted on a carton. Gold weighing 700 gm worth up to Rs18.5 lakh was recovered.

According to the official, smugglers are trying every trick to smuggle gold to Delhi as the customs department has increased vigil. “We have come across cases in which gold was stitched into a brassiere, stuffed in the rod of baby walker, and tied on thigh guards and waist,” he said.

Customs had seized 6.6 kg gold from the Delhi airport in 2012-13, which increased to 384 kg in 2013-14. During 2014-15, the officials seized 574 kg gold and in 2016, over 220 kg gold worth ₹60 crore was confiscated.