Chennai: Customs officials posted at Anna International Airport Chennai detected as many as 10 cases of gold smuggling on Wednesday and Thursday morning. Among those held for smuggling the shining metal was an Ethiopian lady.
Based on specific intelligence, an Ethiopian national, Muhubo Aden Muhamed (56), who had arrived from Nairobi via Sharjah by Air Arabia flight, was intercepted at the exit of the arrival hall. On being questioned whether she was carrying any gold, she was evasive in her replies and appeared to be nervous.
A personal search was then carried out when yellow colour metallic powder kept concealed in her undergarments was recovered. On extraction 1.26 kg gold of valued at Rs 39.15 lakh was recovered. The same was seized and she was arrested.
According to airport sources, on Thursday morning Irsath (24) of Ramanathapuram and Mohamed Sirajudeen( 29) of Chennai had arrived from Colombo by Srilankan Airlines flight and Spicejet Airlines flights respectively and Muzammil Riswan (30) of Chennai who had arrived from Dubai by Indigo Airlines flight were intercepted. On a search of their person, a rubbery spread kept concealed in their rectum was recovered and gold weighing 909 grams valued at `30 lakh was recovered.
In another case, Sahaba Sadiq Ali (48) of Nambuthalai and Iburahimsha (44) of R. Puthuppattinam, who had arrived from Colombo by Srilankan airlines flight on Wednesday evening, were intercepted. On being searched, they were found to carry gold in the form of the same kind of rubbery spread and 483 grams of gold valued at `16 lakh was recovered.
Similarly, one Mohamed Sultan (43) of Madurai, Sulaiman (23) Sheik Abdullah (22) and Ajmal Khan (33) of Ramanathapuram who had arrived from Colombo by Air India flight were intercepted at the exit of the arrival hall. On their personal search, a rubbery spread was spotted and 880 grams of gold valued at Rs 29 lakh was recovered and the same seized.
Totally 3.5 kg gold worth Rs 1.15 crore was seized under provisions of Customs act 1962 in all ten cases. Further investigations are under progress.
