Jaipur Airport: Man arrested for smuggling 350g gold

Jaipur: The customs department on Wednesday arrested a man identified as 20-year-old Ismail Sidakbai Ibaani for allegedly smuggling 350g gold at Jaipur international airport.

The accused man arrived at Jaipur from Dubai and is a resident of Ahmadabad. He hid the gold in his trolley bag. The gold is believed to be worth Rs 11 lakh in the international markets.

Ismail Sidakbai Ibaani was caught while he was getting through the security checkpoint at Jaipur international airport.

The gold was seized and the smuggler was arrested. The team is questioning the man to get further details on the smuggling network that he was part of, added officials.

The officer said that the man will be produced in a court. Further investigation is going on.

In a similar case on Wednesday, the customs department seized foreign currency worth Rs 48 lakh from two men at Jaipur international airport.

The duo was attempting to smuggle the currency into Bangkok via Thai Smile flight at Jaipur airport when the intelligence officials caught them.

According to the customs officials, smugglers are using different ways to smuggle gold. Some hide it in cardboard sheets, some in their rectum, some in sandals, socks, books, earphones and what not.

The smugglers have made the Jaipur international airport a middle spot for gold smuggling from foreign countries to other states including Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and others.

Security agencies are keeping a close eye and are alert due to an increase in gold smuggling from other countries.

The customs department officials have caught several people smuggling gold at Jaipur airport in the past two years. The graph of the smuggling in the year 2018 and the initial months of 2019 has increased to double as compared to 2017-18.