Gold worth Rs 18.9 lakhs seized at Pune airport, smuggling mafia syndicate identified by Customs
Pune, July 15, 2019 : Based on information that one lady passenger Usha Moh, travelling by domestic flight of SpiceJet no. SG517 on July 10 from Goa to Pune was carrying contraband.
The Customs officers intercepted the passenger at Pune international airport and personal search was conducted, which resulted in the recovery of 557.64 grams 24k gold. The four pieces of gold were wrapped in black adhesive tapes in three packets and concealed in the shoes by the passenger. During Goa to Pune journey she collected this gold which was concealed in the boiler of front lavatory of aircraft. This gold may be concealed during the international leg of flight – Bankok to Kolkata. This flight route is Bankok – Kolkata (turns domestic) Bangalore-Goa-Pune.
“Gold was in the form of parts of gold bar and valued at Rs 18,90400 with marks of msg from metalor Singapore. Members of syndicate are indentifed and investigation is under process. All the gold items recovered from the passengers were seized under the reasonable belief that the same was attempted to be smuggled into India and hence liable for confiscation under provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. In her statement recorded under section 108 of the Customs Act, 1962, the passenger admitted the possession of the said gold items recovered which have been seized by the customs officers”, stated a press release issued by Vaishali Patange, Joint Commissioner, Customs, Pune.
Further investigation is under progress under supervision of deputy commissioner Mahesh Patil and under guidance of Vaishali Patange.
The mandate of the air customs wing is to nab offenders involved in smuggling of gold, foreign currency, wildlife, traffiking of drugs etc. The department has appealed people interested in providing genuine information on smuggling and traffiking of drugs to contact on phone no. 02026051846
