5.06 kg gold foil concealed in laptops, tabs seized by Chennai Air Customs; 5 arrested

Gold smugglers sometimes use such methods to bring gold illegally into the country that even the monitoring agencies are baffled. Smugglers tried to execute a similar trick in Chennai but they were caught.

According to the police, the Air Customs officials posted at Chennai Airport had received an intelligence tip about illegally bringing gold from the plane. Based on intelligence, Air Customs officials intercepted 10 male passengers that returned from Dubai on flights  EK-544 and UL-121, on Wednesday evening. On being detained and thoroughly searched, gold foils concealed in laptops, tablet computers were recovered and seized. Images shared by the Officials depict how the smugglers have concealed thin gold foils under the laptop keyboard and under the display of tablet computers.

The smugglers had melted the gold and made it a paper-thin layer. After uprooting the keyboard in the laptop, that layer was buried inside. Similarly, the smugglers had hidden a layer of gold inside the smartphones. After investigation, the officers seized all the seized items.

As per Chennai Air Customs, a total of 5.06 kgs of 24K Gold worth Rs.2.19 crores was recovered and seized. Undeclared electronic goods worth Rs.48.6 lakhs were also seized under Customs Act, 1962. Five passengers were arrested and further investigation is underway.