Gold worth Rs 94.2 lakh, 10k US dollars seized from passengers at Chennai airport

The Customs Department on Friday said that they have seized 2.33 kg of gold worth Rs 94.2 lakh and 10,000 US dollars from passengers at Chennai airport. On Friday, six passengers identified as Mohammed Ali (from Madurai), Abdul Hakkim (Sivaganga), Syed Mohamed and Seyed Farook (Ramanathapuram), Syed Abthageer (Trichy) and Ansari (Chennai) were intercepted at the airport, Commissioner of Customs of Chennai International Airport said.

On interrogation, 10 gold cut bits weighing 298 gram - worth Rs 12 lakh - were recovered from their pant pockets.

Sixteen bundles of rubbery paste of gold were recovered from their rectums. After extraction, 1.57 kg of gold valued at Rs 63 lakh was recovered. Thus, a total of 1.87 kg of gold valued at Rs 75.66 lakh was recovered and seized under the Customs Act 1962.

On Thursday, Thameem Ansari, 40, who was bound to fly to Singapore, was intercepted. A search of his hand baggage resulted in the recovery of 10,000 US dollars valued at approximately Rs 7 lakh.

In another case, the officials intercepted Mohammed Ashik Ali, 28, of Chennai and recovered three bundles of rubbery paste of gold. On extraction, 468 gram of gold valued at Rs 18.55 lakh was recovered.