On Tuesday Customs booked seven cases of gold smuggling.   Six  cases were booked during  day time. In first case one  Abdul Rahiman, 40, of Chennai who arrived by Batik Airlines flight No.ID-6018 from Kualalumpur was intercepted at exit. On search of his checked in baggage 3 gold cut bits concealed near the handle portion of stroller suitcase totally weighing 245 grams of gold   valued at Rs. 8.27 lakhs  was recovered.

In another five cases  Samsul Kutha, 40, of Ramanathapuram arrived by AirIndia flight AI-274 from Colombo; Mohamed Rahumathullah, 28, of Ramanathapuram arrived by Air Arabia Airline G9-471 from Sharjah; Mohamed Naleem,40, of Ramanathapuram and Abdul Hak, 30, of Thiruvarur both arrived by Indigo Flight 6E-66 from Dubai and Sadham Usean, 29, of Chennai arrived by AirIndia Airline flight no. AI-906 from Dubai; were intercepted at exit . On personal search  total 15 bundles of brown colour rubbery spread having gold which were kept concealed in their rectum was recovered from which 1.75 Kg of gold was recovered after extraction. Also one gold cut bit weighing 23 grams concealed in pocket of one person  was also  recovered. Total gold valued at   Rs. 59. 75 lakhs was recovered.

In seventh case tuesday night one Fazal Kunhali , 37, of Kasaragod, who arrived from Dubai by Emirates Airlines Flight No. EK546 was intercepted by AIU officers at the exit . On search of his checked in baggage, one pasta maker machine of model  “TITANIA IPASTA” was found which appeared to be unusually heavy. On examination two cylindrical gold rods weighing 576 grams valued at Rs. 19.4 lakhs were found ingeniously  concealed inside the two cylindrical hollow pipes of the pasta maker. The same recovered and seized under Customs Act 1962.

In all  2.55 Kg gold  valued at Rs. 87.5 lakhs was  seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

Further investigation is in process, according to a press release issued by Commissioner of Customs, Chennai  International Airport.

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(Release ID: 1594016) Visitor Counter : 94