One held for trying to smuggle in 21 gold bars in Mumbai

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of airport customs has arrested one person for concealing 21 gold bars worth Rs61 lakh inside the space for rechargeable battery in an emergency light.

Commissioner of customs APS Suri said the seizure was made from one Kappattummal Muhammed Ashraf, an Indian passport holder, after he arrived in the city from Bahrain by a Gulf Air flight on Sunday.

AIU sources said the accused was making an attempt to pass through the green channel when he was intercepted. The gold bars were seized under the provision of the Custom Act, 1962. A customs official said Ashraf has admitted to the offence. He was later arrested.

The arrest comes after a similar case earlier this month, wherein gold bars worth over Rs62 lakh were seized from an Indian who had used the same modus operandi to smuggle the gold.

On December 20, AIU, in its biggest seizure so far this year, busted a gang of three, including two women, who were trying to smuggle gold bars worth Rs3.2 crore.

“Each one of them had concealed four gold bars in aluminium pencil boxes, which had been hung from the rear end of the trolley so as to hide them behind their luggage,” said deputy commissioner of AIU (airport customs) Kiran Kumar.