Chennai: Gold weighing about 13.2 kg and valued at Rs 3.86 crore was seized here and in Tiruchirapalli airport and six persons arrested in this connection, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials said.
Acting on a tip-off that passengers arriving at Chennai and Tiruchirapalli airports from were carrying gold in various forms, DRI officials maintained “strict surveillance,” an official release said.
The “modus operandi” was to identify passengers arriving from various destinations including Singapore, based on messages sent via WhatsApp allegedly by international smugglers and then collect the gold, concealed in various household appliances, from them outside the airport, it said.
Yesterday, DRI sleuths intercepted some persons at these airports.
Investigations revealed that they were there to collect the gold concealed in household appliances.
Mobile phones used by these persons contained pictures of passengers and details of household appliances with gold concealed in them.
“Six persons including three from Tiruchirapalli were arrested and remanded to judicial custody,” the release added.
—PTI