Authorities at the Indira Gandhi International Airport have arrested two Uzbekistan passengers from Dubai for suspected gold smuggling.
The Delhi Customs said the two were caught hiding almost 1kg of gold by using them as dentures. A metallic chain was also seized from the suspects last August 28.
“Officers of Customs AIU, IGI Airport apprehended 2 Uzbeki nationals on 28/8 night coming from Dubai in the Green Channel. On search, 951 grams of gold in form of dentures and a metallic chain was recovered from their oral cavity,” the customs said in a statement on Twitter.
Officers of Customs AIU, IGI Airport apprehended 2 Uzbeki nationals on 28/8 night coming from Dubai in the Green Channel. On search, 951 gms gold in form of dentures and a metallic chain was recovered from their oral cavity. pic.twitter.com/E8FIw6ZqRP
— Delhi Customs (@Delhicustoms) September 10, 2021
The Green channel lane is being used only by passengers “not having any dutiable goods”.
Upon checking, however, the customs officers found that the duo was having a dental prosthesis capped with gold.
The value of gold seized was worth around $5,000 or more than AED18,366.
On the same day, the Customs also held an Indian passenger from Muscat who concealed almost 2kg of gold in his pockets.
“On 28th night, officers of AIU, IGIA stopped 1 Indian pax coming from Muscat on basis of profiling. Upon detailed search, 1,801 grams of gold in the form of brown paste were recovered from concealed pockets in his jeans. His receiver was also nabbed from the outside airport,’ the Customs stated.
On 28th night, officers of AIU, IGIA stopped 1 Indian pax coming from Muscat on basis of profiling. Upon detailed search, 1801 gms gold in form of brown paste was recovered from concealed pockets in his jeans. His receiver was also nabbed from outside airport. pic.twitter.com/eSibGHHX66
— Delhi Customs (@Delhicustoms) September 10, 2021
In a similar case last September 9, two passengers from Dubai was held in the same airport for also bringing 1,369 grams of gold in the form of brown paste.
The receiver was also apprehended outside the airport.
AIU officers of IGIA intercepted 2 Indian pax coming from Dubai on 9th night. Search revealed 1369 gms of gold in form of brown paste concealed in their underwear. Both pax were arrested. The receiver of the gold was also apprehended from outside airport. pic.twitter.com/rEbmTKq09w
— Delhi Customs (@Delhicustoms) September 11, 2021
Customs authorities in India flag carrying gold in paste form as it had been found that smugglers adopt this modus in order to dodge metal detectors.
