S Korean held at Delhi airport for smuggling gold worth nearly Rs 2 cr

A South Korean national has been arrested at the Delhi airport for allegedly carrying more than 5.5 kg of gold worth nearly Rs two crore concealed inside a motor, a Customs official said on Friday.

The man arrived at the Terminal-3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport from Hong Kong on Wednesday, he said.

On suspicion, he was intercepted by the Customs officers after he had crossed the Green Channel.

"The officials recovered 105 pieces of gold rotor plates weighing 5,565 gram concealed inside a Toshiba motor," the official said, adding that the value of the gold is approximately Rs 1.92 crore.

The South Korean admitted to have smuggled gold of the same quantity concealed in a motor in his previous visit last week, he said.

The gold has been seized and the accused arrested under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, the official added.

For the purpose of Customs clearance of arriving passengers, a two-channel system has been adopted under which the Green Channel is for passengers not having any dutiable goods, while the Red Channel for those having dutiable goods.