HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Customs officers at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) successfully apprehended four passengers involved in a massive gold smuggling operation. The seized contraband, amounting to a staggering 8 kg of gold valued at Rs. 4.86 crore, was concealed in various ingenious ways.
The operation unfolded with the arrest of the first passenger arriving from Bangkok. Officers discovered 2 kg of cut gold bars, valued at Rs. 1,21,34,000, cleverly hidden in the passenger’s trousers. Subsequently, a fellow traveler on the same flight was found carrying 1.78 kg of cut gold bars, worth Rs. 1,08,81,165, meticulously concealed within garments.
The bust continued with the arrest of a passenger arriving from Sharjah, who had ingeniously hidden 2.17 kg of gold in paste form. The seized gold’s market value was estimated at Rs. 1,31,77,524. In the final case, a traveler from Dubai was apprehended with 2.05 kg of gold concealed in undergarments, worth Rs. 1,24,31,283.
The cumulative haul of 8 kg of smuggled gold, amounting to a staggering Rs. 4.86 crore, showcases the extent of the illicit activity. All four individuals were promptly arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act. The Hyderabad Customs authorities continue their relentless efforts to uncover the intricate networks behind such illegal operations. Further investigations are actively underway.
