Gold worth Rs 2.37 cr seized from passenger at Hyd airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday seized gold worth Rs 2.37 crore from a passenger at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. Acting on specific intelligence, officers of the DRI Hyderabad Zonal Unit intercepted the passenger who had arrived from Kuwait via Sharjah.

A detailed check of the passenger’s checked-in baggage revealed five 24-karat gold bars and two pieces of gold bars, totaling 1,798 grams. The gold was of foreign origin.

The DRI said the smuggler had tried to hide the gold cleverly. Five gold bars were concealed inside a metallic lock on a door, while the two smaller gold pieces were hidden in a plastic pouch containing sunflower seeds.

All the gold and the packing materials used for smuggling were seized by the authorities. The passenger has been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.

The DRI has confirmed that further investigation is ongoing to trace the source of the gold and any accomplices involved in the smuggling attempt.

This seizure highlights the vigilance of Indian customs authorities in curbing the illegal import of gold, which continues to be a major route for smuggling at international airports.