Kochi: The Customs Air Intelligence personnel at the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) here foiled four back-to-back attempts to smuggle in gold and seized nearly 1.283 kilo grams of the yellow metal worth over Rs 40 lakh. The seizure is the fifth one effected in the last one week. In the first case, a Malappuram native, who flew in from Dubai in the wee hours of Monday, was taken into custody after a detailed inspection found him concealing three gold biscuits in his rectum. A few hours later, another passenger from Dubai was intercepted on suspicion and three gold biscuits hidden in the rectum were recovered.
A third seizure was effected on Monday when a Thrissur native, who landed here from Doha, was found attempting to smuggle in two crude gold chains concealed inside his innerwear. In the fourth case, officials intercepted a Malappuram native, who had landed from Sharjah, and recovered two gold biscuits. On October 16, Customs sleuths had seized 3.18 kg gold worth nearly Rs one crore in three separate incidents. The next day saw the officers recovering gold worth Rs 29 lakh and arresting a Punjab native in this connection.
