Three arrested in smuggling case at Delhi airport, gold worth Rs 2.06 crore seized

New Delhi [India]: The Air Customs at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi arrested three Kuwait nationals and recovered 4001 gms of gold worth Rs 2.06 crore.

The Delhi Customs took to their social media platform 'X' and said, "On the basis of spot profiling, Customs at IGIA have seized silver coated gold jewellery weighing 4001 grams valued at 2.06 crore brought by 3 Kuwait nationals."

All three have been arrested under Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation into the matter is underway, added Delhi Customs.

Earlier, the Air Customs at IGIA in Delhi booked five people in three separate cases of smuggling and recovered 6522 gms of gold worth Rs 3.43 crore concealed in their clothes and rectum.

"AirCustoms@IGIA have booked 3 separate cases of smuggling after 6522 gms of gold concealed by 5 pax in their clothes & rectum were recovered and seized. Value of seized gold is Rs. 3.43 Cr Further investigations are on," the Delhi Customs (Airport and General) posted on X.

In a statement, the Customs department said that on the basis of suspicion, the officers of Airport Customs at Terminal-3 of Delhi Airport have booked three different cases of smuggling of gold on August 13 against five Indian national passengers who arrived at T-3, IGI Airport New Delhi by Flight No. EY218 of Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi and flight no. 6E 1464 of Indigo Airlines from Dubai.

The passengers had tried to smuggle the gold concealed in their jeans and handbags, one passenger attempted to smuggle it concealed in his rectum. Following the search, the recovery of gold collectively weighed 6522 grams having a tariff value of Rs. 3.42 crore.

The recovered gold has been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. Three passengers have been placed under arrest in terms of section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962, the statement read.