Gold worth Rs 24.81 lac seized at Mangalore Airport in two separate cases
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Jan 26: The customs officers at Mangalore International Airport on Sunday Janary 26 foiled two more attempts by passengers to smuggle gold, in separate incidents. The passengers, who arrived by different flights were arrested and gold worth Rs 24.81 lac was seized from them.
In the first incident, Mohammed Azharuddin, a resident of Kunnil in Kasargod, was caught with gold weighing 558.590 grams valued at Rs 16.86 lac. The gold was in the form of three strips, key and nail cutter both painted with silver, a square gold block, and a head piece of an electric shaver made of gold and coated with silver paint. All these items were found in a carton belonging to Azharuddin.
In the second incident on the same day, a passengers identified as Abdul Nazir Koottachal, a resident of Chengala, Kasargod, was arrested for trying to smuggle in 15 pieces of gold totally weighing 262.980 grams, worth Rs 7.94 lac. The gold pieces were found concealed in three LED lights that were in a carton carried by Nazir.
Azharuddin arrived at the airport by Jet Airways flight 9W531, while Nazir came by Air India Express flight IX814 on Sunday morning.
Altogether, the customs officials have sezied gold weighing 1,929.59 grams worth Rs 58,09,336 in four incidents in the last one week, said commissioner of customs D Purushottam. On Sunday alone, the total gold seized amounted to Rs 24,81,142, weighing 821.57 grams.
The operation was led by Krishna Kumar Prasad, assistant commissioner of customs at Mangalore International Airport. Further investigations are on.