Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs officials have arrested a 33-year-old man for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 1.07 crore from Jeddah. The passenger had cleverly concealed the gold in wire form in the frames of his trolley bags. The arrested person has been identified as Mohammed Shadat Khan, a resident of Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh.
According to the Customs sources, on the intervening night of 17/18.02.2025 one passenger Mohammed Shadat Khan arriving from Jeddah to Mumhai by Saudia Flight was intercepted at CSMI Airport after he crossed the Green Channel and asked whether he was carrying any dutiable goods, contraband or gold In his baggage or in person, to which he replied in negative.
"The search of the luggage of Mohammed Shadat Khan was conducted which led to recovery of 24 KT Rhodium plated Gold wires (12 pieces) having net weight of 1300 grams valued at Rs 1.07 crore. The passenger had concealed the Gold wires in the frame of two dark brown trolley bags carried by him as check-in luggage. The said goods were seized under the reasonable belief that the same was being attempted to be smuggled within India in clandestine manner and hence was liable for confiscation under the provisions of the Customs Act," said a Customs official.
He added, "Voluntary statement of Mohammed Shadat Khan was recorded wherein he admitted that the seized gold was being attempted to be smuggled by him without getting detected by the Custom Authorities and by evading payment of applicable duty. As the investigation in this case is at the preliminary stage we are probing further to break the bigger nexus involved in the smuggling activities."
Last week in two separate cases, Airport Customs officials had caught three passengers who had arrived from Dubai to Mumbai gold valued at Rs 61.45 lakh. The said gold was concealed in the belt buckle and trolley bag carried by the passengers.
In the second case, 14 Kenyan Nationals, who had arrived from Nairobi to Mumbai were intercepted and melted gold bars and jewellery valued at Rs 1.85 crores were recovered. The said gold bars and jewellery were concealed in the undergarments and in the pockets of the clothes worn by the passengers.
