Gold worth Rs 82 lakhs seized at Chennai Airport

Gold worth Rs 82 lakhs was seized by the Customs department officials from a total of six passengers arriving at the airport in the past two days.

A press release from Commissioner of Customs at Chennai Airport said, "On Sunday, Mushtaq Ahamad belonging to Chennai and who arrived from Dubai was intercepted at the arrival hall. On search, one semi-finished crude gold chain weighing 49 grams valued at 1.9 lakhs and one bundle of gold in rubbery paste was found concealed in his inner garments. On extraction 249 grams of gold valued at Rs 9.71 lakhs was recovered and seized under Customs Act 1962."

"On Saturday night five passengers Syed Sahul Hameed, Rahman Khan, Riaz Mohammed, Rahmatullah, Anjana Niraj Nelson who arrived from Sri Lanka and Kualalumpur were intercepted. On questioning, they admitted to having concealed bundles containing gold in rubbery paste in the rectum of their body. A total of 14 bundles were recovered from them weighing 1.8 kg and worth 70.2 lakhs," the press release added.