Gold, foreign currency seized at Chennai airport in last 2 days, 6 arrested

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 21 : The Customs at Chennai International Airport arrested six and seized 5.55 kg gold worth Rs 2.53 crore and foreign currency worth Rs 24 lakhs from passengers arriving from and departing to Gulf in the last two days, informed the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at the airport on Sunday.
According to a statement issued by the AIU, the arrested passengers have been identified as Balu Ganesan (42), Anbazhagan (24), A Thamin Ansari (26), Syed Ahamedulla (22), Santhosh Selvam (33), and Abdullah (35).
"MagroobAkbarali (39) and Zubair Hassan (26) arrived from Dubai were intercepted at the exit. Their hairstyles looked suspicious. On examination, they were found to be wearing wigs and having a partly tonsured head. Two gold paste packets weighing 698 grams were found concealed under their wigs which on extraction yielded 595 grams gold," the statement said.
"In another case, Balu Ganesan (42), who arrived by same flight was intercepted and on personal search three bundles of gold paste recovered from the rectum which on extraction yielded 622 grams of gold. He was arrested," the statement said.
The statement further mentioned that earlier on Saturday, Anbazhagan (24), was intercepted at the exit of the airport. On personal search, four packets of gold paste weighing 1.5 kg recovered which were concealed inside his socks and stitched inside his underwear. On extraction 1.33 kg gold valued at Rs. 62 lakhs recovered and seized. A Thamin Ansari was also nabbed from outside the airport when he approached the passenger to take the gold. Both were arrested.
In another case, on rummaging an Indigo Flight, 10 tola gold bars with foreign marking weighing 933 grams valued at Rs. 43.30 lakhs was found in a cloth bag which was concealed in the hollow pipe beneath one of the aircraft seats.
Earlier on Friday, Syed Ahamedulla (22), Santhosh Selvam (33), and Abdullah (35) who arrived from Dubai and Sharjah were intercepted at the exit. Their hairstyles looked to be suspicious and on examination, they were found to be having partly tonsured heads and wearing wigs.
Three gold paste packets weighing 2410 grams were found concealed under their wigs were recovered. On extraction 2.08 kg gold valued at Rs. 96.57 lakhs was recovered and seized under the Customs Act. All three were arrested.
In another case, four passengers bound for Sharjah were intercepted in the departure terminal after they had cleared Immigration and were proceeding towards the security hold area. As their hairstyles appeared to be suspicious on examination they were found to be wearing wigs. On search 67500 Saudi Riyals concealed under their wigs and US Dollars 4750, 6500 Dirhams, 800000 Takas recovered from their pant pockets equivalent to Rs. 24.06 lakhs recovered and seized under the Customs Act read with FEMA regulations 2015.
Further investigation into the matter is underway.