Mangaluru: In two separate incidents, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence of Mangalore seized about four kilogrammes gold, valued Rs 1 crore, at Mangalore International Airport and Mangaluru Junction Railway Station.
Hassan and Sameera, a couple hailing from Kasargod were arrested for trying to smuggle 2.13 kg of gold concealed in a specially made abdominal belt worn by them under their clothes. They had arrived at the Mangaluru International Airport from Dubai.
Their current market value was placed at around Rs 66 lakh. The contraband gold was later seized by the officers of DRI under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Both the passengers were arrested and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangaluru and later released on conditional bail.
In another incident two passengers Moideen and Samsudheen travelling from Panvel to Kozhikode in Marusagar Express were caught hold of at Mangaluru Juction Railway station.
They had smuggled gold from Nepal and were travelling in train towards Kozhikode, Kerala. They had 16 gold biscuits in their possession, concealed in the inner pocket of their pants.
During personal examination of the two, the officers found some heavy objects around the waist band of the trousers. When cut open, the inside stitch of the waist band had 16 gold bars (8 gold bars each) in it.
Both the passengers admitted that 16 gold bars recovered from their possession were of foreign origin and were smuggled by them during their International trip from Dubai to Kathmandu, Nepal, a couple of days back. They further stated that after getting cleared from Kathmandu International Airport they crossed the land border at Birganj and entered India. DRI officers seized 16 gold bars of foreign origin totally weighing 1865.600 gm valued at Rs 56,33,880. Both the passengers were arrested and produced before the
Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangaluru. Further investigations are in progress in both the cases.
