70 gold biscuits worth Rs 2.25 crore seized from two men at Chandigarh airport

Though the intelligence officials did not reveal the names of the accused, they said that the duo had returned from Dubai.

In the largest seizure at the Chandigarh International Airport so far, the customs department, along with a team of directorate of revenue intelligence, on Monday caught two men with 70 gold biscuits weighing 8.1 kg in all.

Sources said that both the accused have only been detained so far and may be formally arrested soon. (Representational picture)

PAST SEIZURES FROM CHANDIGARH AIRPORT

Jan 2: Gold worth Rs 12 lakh seized from airport

Dec 14: 16 kg gold found under a passengers’ seat

Dec 8: Gold worth 80 lakhs seized from vacuum cleaner

Oct 25: 600-gram gold chains worth Rs 17 lakh seized

Oct 17: 1.4-kg gold biscuits worth Rs 39 lakh recovered from Jalandhar man

Police claim that the biscuits, weighing 116 gram each, is worth Rs 2.25 crore.

Though the intelligence officials did not reveal the names of the accused, they said that the duo had returned from Dubai. One of the accused is reportedly a 20-year-old graduation student from Munak town in Sangrur while the other is a 30-year-old youth from Haryana’s Shahbad area, whose family is into farming.

An official said that acting on an intelligence input, the youth were arrested soon after they landed at the airport.

Sources said that both the accused have only been detained so far and may be formally arrested soon. Once arrested, they will be produced in Mohali court by the directorate of revenue intelligence to seek remand.

As per sources, it is being suspected that the duo are part of a larger nexus. “We are trying to find out who they were working for,” an official said. Gold smuggling from Dubai is rampant because of the price difference, the ease with which customs duty can be evaded. Moreover, gold from Dubai is more pure.