Chennai air customs seize 4.15 kg gold worth Rs 2.17 crore; 7 arrested

New Delhi: Chennai Air Customs recovered 4.15 kg gold valued at Rs. 2.17 crores from eight passengers. Seven of these passengers were arrested for gold smuggling under the Customs Act.

Based on information, eight passengers who arrived from Dubai and Sharjah via Emirates Flight EK542 and Air Arabia Flight G9471 on January 22, were intercepted on suspicion of gold smuggling. The passengers including Ganakavalli, Nishanthi, Kala Peradeep Kumar, Jayaraj, Jegatheesh, Ghabar Khan, Mohammed Hikkam and Thasleem Fathima hail from different districts of Tamil Nadu.

The passengers admitted to concealing gold paste capsules in their stomach and rectum. They revealed that they swallowed gold paste capsules before departure. As per officials, the passengers voluntarily requested in writing for taking suitable action under Customs Act to recover the gold paste capsules.

Each capsule concealed in the stomach was 1.1-1.7 cm in diameter and weighed between 15-24 grams. Total 161 gold capsules weighing 2.88 kg, valued at Rs. 1.28 crore were recovered from the stomachs of eight passengers.

Further, eight bundles containing 61 capsules weighing 1.18 kg gold and valued at Rs. 51.36 lakhs were also recovered. In addition three gold chains, eight gold bits, eight gold rings, two bundles of gold paste totally valued at Rs. 30.64 lakhs were recovered from hand bags and pant pockets. A total of 4.15 kg gold valued at Rs. 2.17 crores were seized.

Chennai Air Customs said this is a new modus operandi of gold smuggling, where smugglers swallowed gold paste capsules (wrapped in rubber or polythene cover) and tied with a thread. According to senior officials, the prevalent method of gold smuggling is rectal concealment. 

The passengers were admitted to Stanley Government hospital in the city to recover the capsules under medical supervision. The process of recovery is said to have been cumbersome and the individuals were fed a heavy diet to facilitate ejection in a natural way, which took eight days to complete.