Chennai : 3.5 kg gold worth Rs 1.85 crore seized from 11 Dubai returnees

Air Customs Officials in Chennai have seized 3.5 kg gold worth Rs 1.85 crore from eleven passengers who flew in from Dubai and five of them have been arrested. 

On Monday, frisking of four Dubai returnees who arrived via Emirates flight EK 544 yielded two packets of gold paste weighing 114 grams stitched inside the face mask, one gold of 50 grams, and 16 bundles of gold paste concealed in the rectum. Total 1.84 kg gold valued at Rs 97.82 lakhs was recovered and seized under Customs Act 1962 and three of them were arrested.

Seven passengers who had arrived from Dubai by Flights Indigo 6E 66 and Emirates EK 542 were intercepted at the exit on the suspicion of carrying gold. 

Personal searches on two passengers revealed plastic pouches of gold in paste form stitched inside jeans pants, gold cut bits from pant pockets. Persistent questioning of the others led them to confess carrying gold bundles concealed in their rectum. 

12 bundles of gold paste were recovered from their rectum, 6 strips from jeans, and 5 gold cut bits were recovered from pant pocket. Total of 1.65 kg gold valued at Rs.87.48 lakhs was recovered and seized under Customs Act 1962 and two of them were arrested. 

Officials said further investigation is underway.