Bengaluru: On Wednesday, a customs official in this city announced that they had detained a man who was trying to smuggle gold worth Rs 69.40 lakh by hiding it in the fake cavity of his slippers.
According to a senior customs official, on March 12, the accused's Indigo aircraft from Bangkok to Bengaluru was stopped by the air intelligence officers of customs.
"On asking the purpose of travel, the passenger said that he was travelling for medical purposes. However, the passenger was unable to provide any valid medical documents which made the officers suspicious," said the official.
Gold found in slippers
The suspect passenger, according to the customs official, underwent extensive inspections. When his body was checked and his suitcase and slippers were scanned, it was discovered that he had gold in the shape of chopped chunks hidden in his slippers, which he had been wearing on the journey.
"The slippers were cut open and four pieces of gold totalling 1.2 kg having purity of 24 kt worth Rs 69.40 lakh was seized," the official said.
Further investigations are on.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
