Two foreigners held for smuggling foreign currency at Delhi, B'lore airports

Two foreign nationals -- an Afghani and a Singaporean -- have been arrested by the DRI in two separate incidents for allegedly trying to smuggle out about Rs 7 crore foreign currency from Delhi and Bangalore airports, the agency said Thursday.

In the first case on December 17, sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted an Afghan national who was at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport to take a flight to Dubai.

A search of the belongings of the foreigner led to the recovery of US dollars worth Rs 3.59 crore concealed inside a microwave oven, in the packaging of ceramic mugs and the inner lining of the passenger's checked-in suitcase, the DRI said in a statement.

"Initial investigations have revealed that the foreign currency was being smuggled out of India as payment for the gold that had been smuggled into the country previously," it said.

In the second case that took place at the Bangalore airport on December 18, the DRI said a Singaporean national was arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle out US dollars, Saudi Riyal and Euros totalling Rs 3.5 crore.

"During this calendar year, the Customs department has arrested a total of 219 foreign nationals on charges of smuggling gold into India and foreign currency out of India. Arrested individuals include nationals from South Asia, East Asia, South-East Asia and Africa," the agency said.