Smuggled gold bars, jewellery worth ₹70 lakh found in Mumbai airport washroom

AIU officials said they examined CCTV camera footage of the airport, which helped them find vital clues as to the identify of the suspects

The air intelligence unit (AIU) of Mumbai customs found gold bars and jewellery collectively worth Rs70 lakh in a washroom of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport early on Wednesday.

Officials said the gold, wrapped in black tape, was recovered from the dustbin of the gents washroom opposite conveyor belt 5 (HT Photo)

AIU officials said they examined CCTV camera footage of the airport, which helped them find vital clues as to the identify of the suspects. “We found assorted gold jewellery weighing 1.3 kg and nine gold bars bearing foreign markings collectively weighing 1kg. The gold is collectively worth Rs70.65 lakh,” said an AIU officer.

Officials said the gold, wrapped in black tape, was recovered from the dustbin of the gents washroom opposite conveyor belt 5.

“The suspects realised that several AIU officers were deployed around the conveyor belt and so dropped the seized items in the dustbin unnoticed. An inquiry is ongoing,” said the officer.

AIU officials said they gold was seized as there was sufficient proof of it being illegally smuggled into the country.