Mumbai Customs seize Rs 8.47 crore worth of gold at airport

Mumbai Customs on Sunday said that it seized Rs 8.47 crore worth of gold at Mumbai airport in multiple operations over the week.

It said that between March 13 and 15, Mumbai Customs officers at Mumbai`s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport seized a huge quantity of 24KT gold in four different cases.

The officials said that in total, 10.923 kg of gold was recovered which is valued at approximately Rs 8.47 crore in the market.

In one of the cases, the Mumbai Customs officials stopped an airport staff member on suspicion and found six oval-shaped capsules containing gold dust in wax hidden in the pockets of his pants.

“The total gross weight of the recovered gold was 2936 grams, and the net weight was 2800 grams, valued at Rs 2.28 crore. The airport staff member was arrested under the Customs Act, 1962,” said an official.

In an another operation, an airport staff member, working in the international departure area, was intercepted by Customs officers. Seven oval-shaped capsules containing gold dust in wax were concealed in his underwear. The total gross weight was 3031 grams, and the net weight was 2900 grams.

“The seized gold values at Rs 2.36 crore in the matter. The staff member was later placed under arrested,” said the official statement.

In one of the operations, during the night shift, a third airport staff member was stopped, and Mumbai Customs officers recovered two pouches containing 24KT gold dust in wax from his undergarment.

The total gross weight was 1687 grams, and the net weight was 1610 grams, valued at Rs 1.31 crore. Further investigation led to the arrest of three individuals, including the airport staff member, the officials said.

They said that, in a separate case, while inspecting garbage bags from an international flight, the officials from the Mumbai Customs department discovered two black pouches containing gold dust in wax inside the trash. The pouches weighed 3.269 kg gross and 3.120 kg net, valued at Rs 2.53 crore.

“The gold was concealed in the garbage from the aircraft’s lavatories and pantry, the officials said, adding that in all four cases, the seized gold was confiscated under the Customs Act, 1962 and further investigations were ongoing.