Ahmedabad, July 30 (IANS) Ahmedabad Customs has seized 240.830 grams of 24-carat gold jewelry worth around Rs 35.49 lakh from a woman passenger who arrived from Dubai after officers intercepted her based on passenger profiling at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
According to Customs officials, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted the passenger after she arrived on Emirates Flight EK-538 from Dubai on Thursday.
During examination, officials found that the passenger was wearing and concealing 240.830 grams of 24-carat gold jewellery without valid documents.
The seized items comprised four bangles and one chain with a pendant. The gold jewellery, weighing 240.830 grams and having a market value of Rs 35,49,834, was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Customs officials said further investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the attempted smuggling and whether others were involved.
The seizure is the latest in a series of gold smuggling cases detected at Ahmedabad airport in recent weeks.
On July 28, Ahmedabad Customs seized 244.16 grams of 24-carat gold worth about Rs 35.84 lakh from a woman passenger who arrived from Dubai.
Acting on intelligence, officers recovered gold paste concealed by the passenger, which was later processed into a gold bar before being seized under the Customs Act.
Earlier this month, on July 16, Customs officers intercepted a woman arriving from Abu Dhabi. They seized 233 grams of 24-carat gold worth Rs 34.29 lakh after the gold was allegedly concealed inside her burqa.
The Air Intelligence Unit carried out the seizure following passenger profiling, and the investigation remains in progress.
In another case reported on July 7, Ahmedabad Customs seized 729 grams of gold valued at Rs 98.78 lakh from a woman passenger arriving from Abu Dhabi.
Officials said the gold jewellery had been concealed in her handbag and beneath her garments before being recovered during examination.
–IANS
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