Thiruvananthapuram: The air customs unit at Thiruvananthapuram international airport foiled a bid to smuggle about seven kilograms of gold, worth about 1.75 crore, on Friday. Kollam native Shanavaz, 35, was held in this connection.
While 4.3 kilograms of gold was concealed inside two iron-boxes, nearly three kilograms of gold was concealed in mini transformers. Shanavaz was suspected to be a carrier.
Deputy commissioner of customs Sree Parvathy said that a passenger who came from Dubai in an Emirates flight was intercepted following a suspicion in his behaviour during normal frisking. On checking, the gold concealed in the two iron boxes were initially recovered. The gold was made in the shape of components of the iron-box and coated black with the intention of circumventing x-ray checking.
