Three flyers caught with gold

BENGALURU: The Customs Air Intelligence Unit has seized gold items worth over Rs 52 lakh from three international travellers, including a woman, who arrived in Bengaluru on different flights. The total weight of the gold seized on the intervening night of June 24-25 is 731.5 grams. All of them had hidden the gold in their clothes.

A customs source said the first seizure was made on a male passenger, hailing from Vellore in Tamil Nadu, who had reached the Kempegowda International Airport from Bangkok. “He had concealed three gold biscuits and a small gold patti, weighing a total of 315 gm and valued at Rs 22.49 lakhs. A physical search on the spot based on suspicion led to the detection of the items,” he said. The passenger had arrived by Thai Lion Airlines flight SL 216.

The second case involved a woman from Bengaluru who arrived from Dubai on an Indigo flight (6E 1486). “She had hidden a gold chain and four bangles under her clothes. Profiling and body search helped detect the contraband items weighing 300 gm,” the source said. The items are worth Rs 21,20,400.

In the third case, a native of Shivamogga who attempted to smuggle a 116.5 gram gold biscuit was arrested after physical checks. He had hidden the biscuit, worth Rs 8.31 lakhs, in his pants pocket. He arrived in Bengaluru by an Indigo Arabia flight from Sharjah.