Customs seizes gold worth over Rs 1 crore at Delhi airport

Gold worth over Rs 1 crore has been seized by customs officials at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here in two separate cases.
In the first case, a passenger, whose identity is yet to established, handed over about 23 gold bars, collectively weighing about 2.6 kg, to an employee of Indigo airlines in its office at the airport on Monday, according to a press release issued by the customs today.
The gold bars, which were handed over in a bathroom, were recovered from the employee when he had crossed 'green channel' (meant for declaring dutiable goods) inside the airport, it said.

Another persons, who was to receive these gold bars, waiting outside the airport was also arrested, the release said.
The gold bars, which have been seized, worth Rs 71.05 lakh, it said, adding that both the accused have been arrested.
The accused persons had in past also smuggled gold worth Rs 37.05 lakh using the same modus operandi.

"Hence, the total value of the gold smuggled in this case is Rs 1.08 crore," it said.
In another case, a passenger has been arrested for smuggling out
of the country gold and saffron worth about Rs 45.67 lakh.
The 27-year-old accused was travelling from Dubai to Bangkok via Delhi. He was intercepted by the customs officials on Tuesday.

"During examination of his hand baggage, 1.5 kg of gold which was ingeniously concealed in the form of stirrup of the bag and three kgs of saffron were recovered," the release said.
The market value of the gold is Rs 42.67 lakh and that of saffron is Rs 3 lakh, it said, adding that the passenger has been arrested and the goods seized.