Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Nov 18: The customs officials of the international airport here seized 4.5 kgs of gold worth about Rs 75 lac, concealed inside the clothing worn by a passenger named Nassar Ahmed (26), who arrived from Dubai on Tuesday November 17 by an Emirates flight.

At the customs, he declared the consignment of garments brought by him, valued at Rs 20,000, and paid duty of Rs 2000. The customs officials, who frisked him out of doubt, found gold stuffed around his stomach, ankles etc. He was arrested and produced in a court thereafter.

The officials noted that Nassar, who claimed to be a garment trader from Shiroor in Bhatkal taluk, Uttara Kannada, had made Dubai visits twice in the past, and both the times, had declared the consignment of garments at the customs, and pleaded for lowering the duty. There is a chance that he had carried gold earlier too, but as there is no system of frisking at the customs, he would have succeeded in diverting the attention of the customs officials towards his consignment of garments to avoid the gold he carried getting noticed, it is felt.