Chennai: Customs seize gold paste worth ₹58.6 lakh from passenger at airport
Premium- The accused, identified as 40-year-old Shahul Hameed, is a native of Pasipattinam in Tamil Nadu
- Four packets of gold paste were recovered from his handbag
Premium1.11 kilograms of gold paste worth ₹58.6 lakh was seized by customs officials from a man who arrived at Chennai International Airport from Dubai.
The accused, identified as 40-year-old Shahul Hameed, is a native of Pasipattinam in Tamil Nadu. Four packets of gold paste weighing 850 grams were recovered from his handbag on Tuesday.
"On extraction 740 grams of gold of 24K purity valued at ₹38.9 lakh was recovered and seized under the Customs Act. He was arrested," news agency ANI quoted the Customs as saying.
The statement added that earlier on Monday, one Mohamed Sajamkhan Kalandar Ayubkhan (23), a native of Ramanathapuram, who arrived from Dubai, was intercepted at the exit of the Chennai Airport.
"On persistent questioning, he confessed to carrying gold paste bundles concealed in rectum. On personal search, five bundles of gold paste weighing 437 grams were recovered from his rectum. Total 375 grams of gold valued at ₹19.70 lakh was recovered after extraction and same was seized," it stated further.
The gold has been seized under the Customs Act 1962 and further probe is underway.
In another similar incident, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers had recovered 6.88 kg gold worth ₹3.6 crore from the possession of six passengers who were travelling from Sharjah to Coimbatore.
Issuing a press note, DRI informed, "DRI Coimbatore intercepted six passengers who had arrived from Sharjah to Coimbatore Airport on 24 October and recovered gold mixed in paste form (approximately 6.88 kg gold worth ₹3.6 crores) from their possession."
Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!
×![]()
