Smuggled gold worth Rs 3,09,34,675 was seized by the Pune unit of directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) on Thursday. The gold was found in the form of 86 gold biscuits. The seized goods weighed 10.17 kg.
The seizure was made jointly by DRI and customs officials at the Pune airport. It was DRI's first major seizure at the airport where it was recently deployed. The gold biscuits were stuffed inside mobile covers and pouches, according to a statement issued by DRI. The officials were rummaging at the airport after a SpiceJet flight had landed. The flight, SG52, had departed from Dubai on Wednesday night and arrived in Pune on Friday morning.
The pouches and mobile covers were found stuffed inside the washroom meant for men. The DRI confiscated the gold biscuits under provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The owner of the gold could not be ascertained. Further investigations are on.
The seizure comes a week after custom officials at the Pune airport had intercepted smuggled gold worth over Rs 28 lakh in possession of a man from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The man was identified as Mohamed Safeer Umar Sowbar, who landed on the customs officials’ radar at the security check.
The security officials at Pune airport, Lohegaon, intercepted the man in possession of gold in powder form concealed inside a brown-coloured paste. The recovered gold was found to be 925 grams of 24 karat variety. The worth of the recovered gold was estimated to be Rs 28,30,500.
{{/usCountry}}The security officials at Pune airport, Lohegaon, intercepted the man in possession of gold in powder form concealed inside a brown-coloured paste. The recovered gold was found to be 925 grams of 24 karat variety. The worth of the recovered gold was estimated to be Rs 28,30,500.
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