4 held at Delhi airport for smuggling gold worth nearly Rs 1 cr

Four persons have been arrested at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here for their alleged involvement in smuggling gold worth over Rs 99 lakh in three separate incidents, a customs official said on Sunday.

In the first incident, two residents of Kashmir, who arrived at Terminal-3 of the IGI Airport on Thursday from Dubai, were intercepted by the customs officials after they had crossed the green channel, according to a customs statement.

Upon personal and baggage search, five silver-coated gold kadas (bangles), weighing 1.275 kg, were recovered from them, it said.

The gold bangles, worn by the Srinagar residents and covered by the sleeves of their shirts, were worth approximately around Rs 44 lakh, it said, adding that they have been arrested and gold seized under relevant provisions of the Customs Act.

Both the persons also admitted to have smuggled 2.407 kg of gold in the past.

In the second incident, a person was arrested at terminal 1D, IGI Airport on Tuesday for allegedly possessing two cut pieces of gold bars weighing 1 kg worth over Rs 34 lakh.

The person, who landed at IGI from Chandigarh, had kept the gold bars in the pocket of his trousers which he was wearing.

The gold was hidden in the toilet of the aircraft by a person who had come from Dubai to Chandigarh. The same aircraft was further bound to Delhi from Chandigarh and the person was instructed to collect the gold bars from the toilet.

The gold has been seized and the person arrested under relevant provisions of the customs act.

In the third incident, a man was arrested at terminal 1D, IGI Airport on Tuesday for allegedly possessing five gold bars of foreign origin weighing 582 grams worth over Rs 20 lakh.

The person, who landed at IGI from Chandigarh, had kept the gold bars in his baggage.

The gold was handed over to him at the smoking area of Chandigarh airport by a person who had come from Dubai to Chandigarh. The same aircraft was further bound to Delhi from Chandigarh.

The gold has been seized and the person arrested under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, the statement said.