Gold worth Rs 80 lakh seized from passengers in relief flights; 2 arrested

Gold worth over Rs 80 lakh was seized in separate incidents at the airport here over the past two days and two people who arrived by repatriation flights were arrested in this connection, officials said on Tuesday.

In the first incident, the sleuths, acting on a tip, examined a passenger on his arrival from Dubai today and recovered Rs 15.60 lakh gold concealed in his inner garment.

In another incident on Monday night, gold in paste form weighing 1.2 kg worth Rs 66.73 lakh was seized from two passengers.

During questioning, the duo, hailing from the city, informed the authorities that the gold was given to them by another five passengers who had arrived from Sharjah earlier.

The gold seized in the two incidents weighed 1.48 kg and worth Rs 82.3 lakh, an official release from the Customs department said.

The two passengers who had concealed the precious metal were arrested, the release said.

Officials said the repatriation flights are operated to bring back stranded Indians from various destinations to the State.

Despite travelling in such flights, the passengers indulged in such acts for earning a meagre sum, they said.

Till August 3, as many as 49,336 passengers have arrived from various overseas destinations to Tamil Nadu since May as relief flights are being operated to bring back stranded Indians following the Covid-19 enforced lockdown.