Gold worth Rs 30 lakh seized from Air India flight; passenger arrested

Jaipur: The customs department seized gold worth Rs 30 lakh from an Air India flight that arrived at Jaipur International Airport from Dubai on Friday. The gold weighed about 583 grams and was in the shape of biscuits. The gold was concealed under the cushion of a passenger seat. The passenger who occupied the seat was detained and interrogation with him is going on.

According to the customs officials, flight AI 942 arrived at the airport at 1 am on Friday. The officials conducted a routine check of the flight. Five rectangular gold Biscuits having 99.90% purity and collectively weighing 583.20 grams, were found concealed under the cushion of a passenger’s seat. The biscuits were valued at Rs 30,00,564.

“They were wrapped by the poly sheet which has been seized under the Customs Act, 1962 as the same was found liable to confiscation under the Act,” said officials.

The passenger who occupied the seat where the seized gold had been concealed, was identified by checking the Boarding Passes of the passengers in the Arrival Hall.

The passenger whose identity was withheld was intercepted and detained, they added.

The officials said that the passenger was quizzed. He told customs officials that he had smuggled the gold in lieu of ticket for the subject flight from Dubai to Jaipur. He was booked under relevant laws.