Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs between May 10 and May 12 seized over 22.14 kilograms of gold valued at Rs 13.56 crore across 20 cases. The gold was found concealed in various forms like gold dust in wax, crude jewellery, gold coins, rhodium plated payal and gold bars in an ingenious way inside, in the rectum, in cardboard sheet and on the body of passengers. Eleven passengers were arrested in these cases, officials said on Monday.
According to the Customs, three Kenyan women travelling from Addis Ababa to Mumbai were intercepted and found carrying gold melted bars having net weight 4483 grams were found concealed in the undergarments and brassiere worn by passengers. The trio were arrested. In the second case, one Indian national travelling from Dubai to Mumbai was intercepted and found carrying gold bars having total net weight 5127 grams concealed inside the jacket by the passenger, who was later arrested.
Seven Indian nationals intercepted
Two foreign nationals, travelling from Nairobi to Mumbai were intercepted and found carrying gold melted bars having total net weight of 1144 grams concealed in the pockets of burqa worn by passengers, officials said. "Seven Indian nationals travelling from Dubai (01), Jeddah (03), Addis Ababa (01), Bahrain (01), and Bangkok (01) were intercepted and found carrying 5903 grams gold concealed, inside undergarments, in the back pocket of pants, in the rectum and on the body of passengers after which all of them were arrested," said a Customs official.
He added, "Eleven Indian nationals travelling from Abu Dhabi (03), Dubai (05), Jeddah (02), and Kuwait (01) were intercepted and found carrying 5480 grams gold concealed in cardboard, in the pocket of burqa worn by the passenger, in the right side back pocket of the trouser, inside the stomach of pax, in the rectum and on the body of passengers."
