Two held at Delhi airport for smuggling gold worth Rs 22 lakh

Two men have been arrested by the customs for allegedly trying to smuggle gold, valuing about Rs 22 lakh, into the country by concealing it in liquor bottles purchased at a duty-free shop at the Delhi airport, according to an official statement issued today.
The accused were intercepted after their arrival here from Bangkok on Tuesday. "A detailed and personal search resulted in recovery of four plates of gold, total weighing 783 grams," the statement by the customs said.
The value of the gold, which has been seized, is about Rs 21.86 lakh.
Describing the modus operandi, a senior customs official said the accused were operating in a group of eight people.

They had purchased liquors from a Delhi duty-free shop and had gone to Bangkok and there, through some of their associates, they got the gold concealed beneath the bottles, he said.
Two of them on their arrival in Delhi had tried to walk out with the gold hidden in four liquor bottles being carried by them but were arrested by the customs, the official said.
The other members of the group understood to have dropped their return from Bangkok after they came to know that two of their men were arrested, he said.