NRI held with goods worth 1.68 cr in Mumbai

MUMBAI: An NRI woman was arrested at the international airport while allegedly trying to smuggle goods worth Rs 1.68 crore, Customs sources said on Saturday.

The woman, Sabita Ramesh Hathiramani, holder of a British passport, had arrived from Hong Kong around midnight last night on a Thai Airways plane and had walked through the green channel.

However, an alert Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) official of the Customs stopped her upon finding her movements suspicious. On examining her luggage, the officials found diamond and gold jewellery and costly wrist watches worth Rs 1.68 crore.

On interrogation, the 56-year-old woman told them that she had purchased the jewellery in Hong Kong and that the baggage contained both new and old jewellery, they said.

"She admitted to possession, carriage and non-declaration of the jewellery. It is learnt that the purchase was made in connection with the wedding of her son likely in December," an official said.