India: Customs foil 2 gold smuggling attempts; Rs7.7 million worth of yellow metal seized

Two separate gold smuggling attempts on February 7 and 8, involving passengers arriving from Riyadh, were successfully thwarted by Indian customs at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The total weight of the seized gold was 893 grams. The estimated value of the undeclared goods is Rs7.7 million, according to the authorities.

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In the first incident, a 58-year-old female passenger, travelling on flight XY-46 from Riyadh to Delhi, was flagged for spot profiling as she exited through the Green Channel. During routine baggage screening, suspicious images were detected in the X-ray scan. Upon further inspection, customs officers discovered a concealed yellow metal cut piece weighing 466 grams hidden inside a hand mixer.

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In a second, similar incident, a 42-year-old male passenger on flight 6E-72, also from Riyadh, was intercepted after his baggage showed irregularities on the X-ray scan. A detailed search uncovered a 427-gram gold piece hidden in the same manner - inside a hand mixer.

According to authorities, these smuggling attempts aimed to bypass customs checks and avoid paying duties on the precious metal. Both gold pieces were seized, and investigations are ongoing to trace the source of the gold, the passengers' intent, and potential links to larger smuggling networks.

The similarities in the concealment method and travel route point to a possible pattern in gold smuggling between Riyadh and Delhi, authorities said. Authorities are continuing their inquiry into the passengers' backgrounds, travel histories, and possible connections to organized smuggling syndicates.

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