AIU detects three cases of gold smuggling

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Mumbai Customs today detected three cases of gold smuggling and recovered 3,127 grams of gold worth Rs 92 lakh.
In the first case, the AIU sleuths intercepted a Fiji national Kishore Khera and his personal search resulted in recovery of 12 bangles, six gold pendants, three chains and two anklets totally weighing 1,055 grams of gold valued at Rs 31.13 lakh.
A case was booked and Khera was arrested, said a Customs official.
In the second case, one Shahid Iqbal, who had arrived from Kolkata, was intercepted and his personal search resulted in recovery of four cut pieces of foreign made gold bars weighing 1,074 grams valued Rs 31.63 lakh, said the official.

He had concealed the gold in the shoes, he said.
The gold bars were earlier brought by a person from Bangkok to Kolkata by concealing it under the seat of the plane. In Kolkata Iqbal had removed the gold and concealed it in his shoes. He was later arrested.

Iqbal is a resident of Kolkata city and operates chain of restaurants by name 'Al-Hayat', said the official.
In the third case, the AIU officers intercepted one Dipesh Kashiani who arrived from Bangkok.
"He was carrying a Buddha statue in his checked in bag and he could not give any satisfactory reply. Later he said that a person from Bangkok had handed over the statue to him and asked him to deliver to someone outside the airport," the official said.

On further examination of the statue two cut pieces of 24 carat gold weighing 998 grams valued at Rs 29.50 lakh were found concealed inside the lead metallic basal portion of the statue.