Fourth accused held in Rs 72.5 lakh gold smuggling case at Delhi airport
Dec 20, 2020
New Delhi [India], December 20 : The Fourth accused in the gold smuggling of valued Rs 72.5 lakh at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport was arrested on Saturday, the Delhi Customs said on Sunday.
The customs official had on November 24 arrested three persons including two Air India SATS (AI SATS) staff for allegedly being involved in a gold smuggling racket in which 1,480 grams of gold worth Rs 72.52 lakhs were seized on November 23.
The statement issued by the Delhi Customs said that a passenger was intercepted by the Customs officials after his arrival from Abu Dhabi on November 23.
"During interrogation, he admitted that he had carried two silver-coloured packets of chemical paste containing approximately 1.48 kg gold and hid the same in lavatory of the aircraft (he had come in). During follow up, one Air India SATS staff was caught by customs officers while he was handing over the packets to another AISATS staff," it said.
AISATS is an airport service provider. It is a joint venture between Air India (AI) and Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS).
"During further investigation, names of another associate of the racket was revealed who incidentally was earlier arrested by DRI in 2016 while he was attempting to smuggle 13 kgs of gold. He has been placed under arrest on December 19," the statement added.
The key accused had smuggled gold valued at Rs. 2.17 crores earlier, it said.
Two silver-colored packets containing gold in paste form and two gold pieces in bar form were seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
