Man smuggles ₹12 lakh gold dust, arrested

According to the air intelligence unit of Mumbai customs, Mohammad Muzammil, who holds an Indian passport, was intercepted after arriving from Dubai and searched.

A 32-year-old man was booked under the Customs Act for attempting to smuggle in 415g of gold dust, worth ₹12.18 lakh at the international airport on Tuesday.

A 32-year-old man was booked under the Customs Act for attempting to smuggle in 415g of gold dust, worth ₹12.18 lakh at the international airport on Tuesday.

According to the air intelligence unit of Mumbai customs, Mohammad Muzammil, who holds an Indian passport, was intercepted after arriving from Dubai and searched.

“We recovered gold dust weighing 415g, valued at ₹12.18 lakh, concealed in his rectum,” said a senior AIU officer.

Gold dust is difficult to trace with hand-held detectors and scanners. Muzammil has not been arrested as the value of the seized gold is less than ₹20 lakh. AIU said the passenger has admitted in a statement to “possession, carriage, concealment, recovery and involvement in the smuggling of the said gold dust ... without payment of proper customs duty and in contravention of the provisions of The Customs Act.” Sources said some passengers deliberately avoid paying customs duty while bringing gold, bought at cheaper rates, from abroad as it would offset the cost advantage.

AIU officials said passengers who conceal such material in their orifices can put themselves at great risk because it can lead to severe complications such as abdominal and rectal pains.