Gold worth Rs 88 lakh seized in Chennai, Kochi

Customs officials today seized gold totally worth Rs 88.5 lakh from two passengers at Chennai and Kochi airports.
While gold worth Rs 52 lakh was seized from a passenger who arrived in Chennai from Sharjah, Customs sleuths recovered 1.2 kg of the precious metal valued at Rs 36.42 lakhfrom a man who landed in Kochi from Delhi, officials said.
Both the passengers were arrested.
In Chennai, Customs officials also seized foreign currency worth Rs 4.3 lakh from a Colombo-bound passenger last night, a Customs release said.
Officials acting on a tip-off, examined the baggage of Syed Ibrahim Kuddus, which led to unearthing of the gold kept concealed in a multimedia speaker system.

The gold was of 24-carat purity and valued at Rs 52 lakh, the release said adding the passenger was arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.
In Kochi, Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said officers of AirIntelligence Unit at the international airport there effected the seizure of six cut pieces of gold bars totally weighing 1,202 gms valued at Rs 36.42 lakhfrom the passenger.
The passenger, a native of Thane in Maharashtra, was found carrying the gold bars in the pocket of his trousers, he added.