Chennai: Owing to a particular vigil maintained to nab gold smugglers from Dubai, Air Customs officers intercepted eight passengers who arrived from the Gulf nation. The passengers arrived within the metropolis by way of Emirates flight EK 544 and had been frisked on the exit, as they had been making an attempt to hurry.
According to officers, the passengers bought nervous and gave evasive replies on being questioned. Frisking of passengers and baggage examination revealed gold paste hidden in plastic pouches, hid of their denims and inside clothes. Total 9kg gold of 24K purity, valued at Rs.4.5crore was recovered from the gold paste after extraction and was seized below Customs Act.
Senior Air Customs officers say that is the largest seizure of gold within the metropolis, amid the lockdown, when there are only a few worldwide flights coming in.
