Gold worth Rs 31.4 lakh seized by Customs at Chennai airport

In two separate incidents, 790 grams of gold valued at Rs 31.4 lakhs were recovered and seized at Chennai airport.

On Thursday night, based on information, a Srilankan national Yogaprashtha aged 27 arrived from Colombo by flight AI 274, was intercepted at the exit. During the search of his checked-in luggage 14 brownish/golden coloured coins suspected to be antique were found concealed in a small pouch among five rupee coins," a press release from the Customs department at Chennai Airport said.

The coins were tested by a gold assayer who certified the coins with special oil used in dyes for coin making to camouflage it as similar to the colour of five rupees Indian coin," the press release said.

The press release said that after washing the coating got removed and the coins returned to the original golden colour. The 14 gold coins of 24 K purity weighing 422 grams and valued at Rs 16.8 lakhs were recovered and seized."

"On Friday night Nilamudeen aged 36 of Ramanathapuram arrived from Dubai by flight AI 906 was intercepted at the exit. On persistent questioning, he admitted having concealed bundles containing gold paste in the rectum," the press release said.

"One personal search two bundles were recovered and on extraction 368 grams of gold valued at Rs 14.6 lakhs was recovered and seized under the Customs Act 1962. Further investigation is underway," it added.