Ahmedabad, July 28 (IANS) Ahmedabad Customs has seized 244.16 grams of 24-carat gold worth around Rs 35.84 lakh after intercepting a woman passenger who allegedly concealed gold paste inside her body on arrival from Dubai, in the latest in a series of smuggling cases detected at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
According to Customs officials, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Ahmedabad Customs acted on specific intelligence received from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and intercepted the woman after she arrived on Flight FZ-437 from Dubai on Monday.
During a detailed examination, officers found that the passenger had concealed approximately 270 grams of gold paste inside her body.
The recovered paste was subsequently processed and converted into a 24-carat gold TT bar weighing 244.16 grams. Customs said the recovered gold has a market value of Rs 35,84,269.
The consignment has been seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is in progress to establish the circumstances of the smuggling attempt and determine whether the passenger acted independently or as part of a wider network.
The seizure comes amid a series of recent gold smuggling detections at Ahmedabad airport, particularly involving passengers arriving from Gulf destinations.
Last week, AIU officers intercepted a woman passenger arriving from Abu Dhabi after she allegedly concealed two 24-carat gold TT bars weighing 233 grams inside her clothing.
The gold, valued at around Rs 34.3 lakh, was seized under the Customs Act and an investigation was launched.
In another case reported earlier this month, Customs officers seized gold jewellery weighing 729 grams and valued at nearly Rs 98.79 lakh from a woman who arrived from Abu Dhabi.
Officials alleged that the jewellery had been concealed inside her handbag and beneath her garments to evade customs duty. Authorities have also uncovered more sophisticated smuggling methods in recent weeks.
On July 22, two passengers arriving from Dubai were found carrying 129.18 grams of gold paste hidden inside the collars of their shirts.
Earlier this month, another passenger from Dubai was arrested after allegedly concealing gold paste worth more than Rs four crore in specially modified undergarments.
–IANS
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