Customs seize gold worth Rs 89 lakh at Chennai airport

Customs officials have seized three kilograms of gold bars worth about Rs 89 lakh and arrested a 44-year-old employee engaged in the ground handling services at the international airport here in connection with it.
Acting on a tip off, the officials intercepted the person yesterday, who was moving in a suspicious manner near the tarmac at the international terminal, an official release said.
Karikalan A D employed as a wheel-chair assistant and a loader at the ground handling services, told the officials that an unknown passenger who arrived from an Oman Airways flight had handed over the gold bars to him.

He said he was asked by the passenger to return the gold bars back to him in the vehicle parking area at the airport.
As per the information provided by Karikalan, the officials took him outside the airport to identify the passenger. As no one approached him, he was arrested under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962, the release added.