Chennai: Customs officials have seized 2.91 kg gold of 24 k purity valued at Rs. 1.24 crore in eight different cases at the Chennai International Airport.
Luggage of the eight passengers was searched by the officials after intercepting them at the exit over behaviourial suspicion.
According to an official press statement issued on Sunday, out of three passengers, two were Indians, Nazeer Ahmed (28), and, Baisul Rahman (23). Both belonged to Chennai. Another was Sri Lankan, Yasser (49), who arrived from Colombo by Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL 125.
In another case, a passenger — Nooral Huk, 39 — arrived the airport from Dubai by Indigo Flight 6E 66. Search officials found three strips of gold paste concealed inside the waist portion of his jeans. On extraction, 303 grams were recovered.
Earlier on Saturday night, two Sri Lankan passengers, Fathima, 48, and Fathima Fareena Rizwi, 43, and two Indians — Abdul Hameed, 34, and Rasik Ali, 31, both belonged to Ramanathapuram. All four were travelling from Colombo by Air India flight AI 274.
On personal search, twelve bundles of gold in paste form were recovered from their rectum. Custom officials seized 1.324 kg of gold.
Cases have been registered under the Customs Act. Further investigation is underway.