Gold worth over ₹70 lakh found inside passenger's rectum at Trichy airport

The passenger who was travelling on an Air India flight from Dubai to Trichy has been arrested.

Published on: Apr 27, 2024, 15:23:08 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Officials of the air intelligence unit at Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli airport have seized a total of 977 gram of gold valued at ₹70.58 lakh from a passenger arriving from Dubai. The officials said that the gold was concealed in three packets consisting of 1081 grams of paste-like material in the rectum of the passenger. The passenger who was travelling on an Air India flight from Dubai to Trichy has been arrested in connection with the incident. Further investigation is underway.

Earlier in March, the AIU officials seized 410 gram of gold valued at ₹26.62 lakh from a passenger arriving from Singapore. The gold consisted of 330 gram of 24K gold extracted from paste-like material and 80 grams of gold concealed inside the passenger's vest.

ALSO READ | Gold being smuggled into Mumbai in compound form for better concealment

In a similar manner, the customs department recently seized diamonds and gold, collectively valued at ₹6.46 crore, from the Mumbai airport. The officials arrested four passengers in 13 different cases. The diamonds were reportedly hidden inside noodle packets in transparent airtight pouches and kept inside a check-in bag, while the gold was concealed in baggage and body parts of the passengers.

An Indian national who was travelling from Mumbai to Bangkok was found involved in a bid to smuggle diamonds worth ₹2.02 crore via concealment. The passenger was arrested and remanded to custody by a city court.

ALSO READ | DRI seizes valuables of ₹10.48 cr after busting gold smuggling syndicate in Mumbai; 4 held

On the other hand, gold dust in wax was allegedly found inside the body parts of certain passengers. Gold bars were also recovered from passengers’ trousers, pockets, baggage as well as undergarments. In all, 6.81 kg of gold was seized by the officials, the sources said.

10 Indian nationals who arrived from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Doha (Qatar), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Muscat (Oman), Bangkok (Thailand), and Singapore - were found carrying 6.19 kg of gold.

(With inputs from ANI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.