Kerala: Gold worth around Rs 53.59 lakh seized at Kochi airport
Sep 30, 2023
Kochi (Kerala) [India], October 1: The Customs department at Kerela's Cochin International Airport seized four cylindrical-shaped capsules, suspected to contain gold in compound form, weighing a total of 1038 grams and two yellow metallic chains weighing 175 gram, said customs officials.
The officials said that a passenger identified as Shamnas was arriving from Dubai and he was intercepted on the basis of profiling done by the officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU).
Upon examination of the passenger, the capsules concealed in his rectum were recovered while the chains were recovered from his shoes.
The estimated value of the total gold recovered (1213 grams) is approximately Rs 53.59 lakh.
The recovered items were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act 1962, said officials.
Further investigation into the case is underway, said officials.
Earlier this month, customs officials seized gold in paste form approximately to the tune of 5.4 kg in six different cases from Kerala's Calicut International Airport. The estimated value of gold is around Rs 3 crore.
Customs officials caught six individuals with gold paste concealed either inside their bodies or in the check-in baggage.
Two capsules of gold compound weighing 619 grams concealed inside the body of one flyer Muhammad Basheer Parayarukandiyil, aged 40, hailing from Koduvally in Kozhikode who arrived from Riyadh were recovered, officials said.
Customs intercepted another passenger Karumbarukuzhiyil Muhammad Midlaj, aged about, hailing from Koduvally, Kozhikode who arrived from Dubai, and interrogation resulted in the recovery of 985 grams of paper sheets pasted with gold compound placed in bedsheets in the check-in baggage.
“An attempt was made by some criminals to abduct a passenger named Shri Ligesh (40 years), a resident of Kakkattil, who had arrived from Doha by flight no.IX374 outside the airport. CISF along with Kerala Police had foiled the attempt and Customs officials with the help of the Intelligence Officer, IB took the passenger into custody suspecting gold concealment,” an official said.
They said detailed interrogation of the passenger by the officers resulted in the recovery of two capsules of gold compound weighing 543 grams concealed inside the body.
In another instance, customs intercepted another passenger named Azeez Kollantavita, aged 25, a native of Chelarkkad, Kozhikode, who had arrived from Doha. Interrogation of him resulted in the recovery of four capsules of gold compound weighing 970 grams concealed inside his body.
Customs seized some 1,277 and 1,066 grams of gold from Sameer of Malapuram and Abdul Sakkeer both from Malapuram.
