The Revenue Intelligence Directorate today seized gold weighing more than 5 kg from three NRIs at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here, official sources said.
The market value of the seized gold is an estimated Rs 1.82 crore and was being carried in their footwear.
The trio had arrived in an Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur this morning and has been detained for interrogation, an airport official said.
The sleuths intercepted them following a tip-off, the official said adding "Their behaviour triggered suspicion following which we frisked them and detected the gold."
On May 4, the customs officials had seized 300 grams of gold worth Rs 9 lakh was seized from a Chennai-based passenger on his arrival here from Malaysia.
On April 22, a NRI woman was detained by customs personnel for allegedly carrying illegal gold worth Rs 17 lakh. The woman, who had arrived in the city airport from Bangkok, was travelling on a Thai passport.
Silver-coated gold chains and bangles were also recovered from her possession.
Similar incidents were reported earlier too.
On April 9, the officials seized 700 grams of gold that was being smuggled inside a mixer grinder being carried by a passenger from Dubai. The yellow mental weighing 180 gram worth Rs 5.66 lakh was seized on April 1.
On March 28 three gold bars and 143 gold rings worth over Rs 12 lakh was seized from two passengers hailing from Maharashtra.
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