Chennai: The officers of customs at Chennai airport have seized Gold worth Rs 34.59 lakhs & Cigarettes worth Rs 1.44 lakhs on Saturday.
According to the Chennai airport sources, based on intelligence, two passengers Mohammed Gouse( 37) of Bhatkal in Karnataka and Absar Ali( 26) of Trichy who had arrived from Dubai by Emirates flight on Saturday morning was intercepted by the Customs arrival hall on suspicion of carrying gold. On questioning, they appeared to be nervous and evasive in their replies.
During a personal search, a rubbery material concealed in their rectum along with two gold ingots totally weighing 1.063 Kg valued at Rs 34.59 lakhs were recovered.
The same was seized under the provisions of Customs Act 1962. Absar Ali was arrested on the basis of the cumulative value of earlier offence also
Similarly, three passengers who had arrived from Dubai by Indigo were intercepted at the exit on suspicion of carrying cigarettes on the same day., On examination of their baggage 25,22,25 cartons respectively of Benson and Hedges cigarettes were recovered from them. Total 72 cartons valued at Rs 1.44 lakhs were recovered and seized under Customs Act 1962. Gold and Cigarettes worth Rs 36 lakhs seized by Customs. Further investigation is under progress.
