The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the customs department at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) seized 4.5 kg of gold worth nearly Rs 2 crore in 24 hours on August 17. The gold in three cases was concealed in the aircraft toilet and a seat on a flight from Sharjah, while in the other two cases the linings of clothes were polished with gold wax.
Early on Wednesday morning, the AIU intercepted two flyers arriving from Dubai based on passenger surveillance and profiling. While clothes lined with gold wax worth Rs 30.66 lakh were seized from one passenger, a seizure worth Rs 17.23 lakh was made from another passenger.
Passengers from an international flight from Sharjah to Kozhikode and a connected domestic flight arriving from Kozhikode to Mumbai were also checked, with the AIU officials intercepting three passengers, who had hidden gold in the toilet and seats of the aircraft.
An official said the unit is probing if all these passengers were part of the same smuggling syndicate. They are also being questioned on suppliers and the receivers of the consignments.
Speaking about the seizures, another official said, “From one of the passengers, we seized gold dust in the form of wax in two pouches valued at Rs 80.38 lakh. Another had gold dust valued at Rs 27.78 lakh, with the third one carrying gold wax valued at Rs 39.30 lakh.”
