Police detains men for alleged gold smuggling, ruckus at airport in Chennai

Chennai: The International Airport here witnessed a ruckus today when a group of 20 men demanded release of four passengers who were detained by customs authorities for allegedly smuggling gold from Singapore.

Four men--Peer Mohammed, Nainar Mohammed, Basheer and Kroshi--arrived here by an early morning flight from Singapore, police said.

When Nainar Mohammed noticed everyone being frisked and baggage checked, he allegedly threw 2.75 kg of gold onto a conveyor belt.

The gold was, however, recovered from the conveyor and seized, police said. Another consignment of 1.5 kg gold concealed in a rice cooker, allegedly brought by the four-member team, was also confiscated.

The two consignments together are valued at Rs 1.5 crore.

Even as a senior customs official was questioning them, a group of 20 men arrived in the customs enclosure, shouted slogans and demanded their immediate release.

They allegedly threatened the official with dire consequences and dispersed. Police, which was alerted, traced five of them to a neighbourhood near the airport. They have been detained and are being questioned, police said, adding further investigations were on.