P S Jayaram / 22 August 2013/ KT
In a massive gold haul from a single individual, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Hyderabad Customs seized over two kilogrammes of gold bars and about one kilogramme of rhodium-polished gold chains from a passenger who arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport from Dubai.
The total market value of the seized gold was put at more than Dh570,999 (INR10 million).
According to Customs sources, the AIU intercepted a middle-aged passenger, who arrived from Dubai on Wednesday morning, while he was walking through the Green Channel. The passenger, whose identity has not been revealed, told customs officials he was not carrying any dutiable goods. The sources said that based on the profile of the passenger and his travel pattern, AIU officials subjected him to frisking and came across three packets concealed cleverly in his undergarments.
A senior customs official said that on opening the packets, they found two 1kg gold bars, three bars weighing 117 grams each and about 970 grams of rhodium-polished gold chains. “Collectively, these are valued at around INR10.1 million in the market,” he said. The passenger has been detained for further interrogation.
