Gold Paste Worth Rs 73 Lakh Found In Underwear Of Passenger At Pune International Airport, Three Smuggling Cases Detected This Year
Sumit Singh
Pune, 21st January 2024: The Air Intelligence Unit of Customs depertment at Pune International Airport, successfully foiled three separate attempts of gold smuggling through vigilant passenger profiling and baggage scanning.
Case No. 1:
On January 11, 2024, a passenger arriving from Dubai on flight SG-52 was intercepted. Upon scanning, a 24k gold belt buckle worn by the passenger, weighing 150 grams and valued at Rs. 9,64,500, was seized.
Case No. 2:
Another passenger arriving from Dubai on SG-52 on January 14, 2024, was intercepted based on profiling. A subsequent personal search revealed raw gold bangles and a pendant weighing 153.56 grams, along with 2400 cigarettes, 4 kg of tobacco, and four packs of high-end perfumes. The total value of the seized goods amounted to Rs. 11,28,500.
Case No. 3:
In the most recent case on January 20, 2024, a passenger arriving from Dubai on flight SG-152 was intercepted based on profiling. A personal search uncovered two pouches containing gold paste concealed in the passenger’s underwear, weighing 1356 grams and valued at Rs. 73,28,339. The passenger was promptly arrested, and the smuggled gold was seized.
All three cases are currently under further investigation.
