Saffron worth Rs 13.75 lakh seized from passenger

Eleven kg of 'Tasshrifat' brand of Iranian saffron, valued at about Rs 13.75 lakh, was seized by customs officials today from a passenger who arrived here from Dubai.
Moideen Salman (23) had concealed the saffron inside two carton boxes along with clothes and other personal effects which he brought along with him as his checked in baggage, airport sources here said.
Salman, belonging to Kasaragod in Kerala, had arrived here this morning by a Jet Airways flight.
The best quality Iranian saffron is valued at Rs two lakh per kg and Iran accounts for 95 percent of its global production.

It takes one lakh flowers to produce one kg of saffron and the output is just half a kg per hectare, the sources said.
Assistant Commissioner of Customs N Udayashankaran said further investigation was in progress.