Foreign currency seized from two passengers at Pune Airport

Foreign currency totalling to over Rs 38 lakh was seized from two passengers who were to fly to Dubai from Pune International Airport on Sunday.

A press release from the Office of the Commisioner of Customs Pune International Airport said, "Officiers of the Pune International Airport seized foreign currency totalling to Rs 38,79,575 from two passengers intending to fly to Dubai by the Spice Jet flight SG51 on March 8."

"The confiscated foreign currency was recovered during physical search and search of check-in luggage carried by passengers Ansari Feroze Abdul hamid age 43 years and resident of Pune and Shaikh Mohammad Tarique Iqbal Ahmad, age 33 years and resident of Pune," the press release said.

It further said, "The currency was concealed by way of stitching into the waist of the trousers and was recovered by slitting open the stitchings and linings. It consisted of Pound, Qatar Riyal and Saudi Riyal. The currency has been seized by customs officers under the reasonable belief that it was being smuggled out of India."

Further investigation in the matter is underway.