Customs officials seize gold worth Rs 4.86 crore from passengers at Hyderabad airport

Hyderabad: Four passengers were arrested separately at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here on Saturday with a total of 8 kilograms of smuggled gold worth Rs 4.86 crore seized from their possession, Hyderabad Customs officials said.

A press release from the Customs Department said in the first case, two kg of cut gold bars valued at over Rs 1.21 crore was found concealed in the trousers of a passenger who arrived from Bangkok. "A total of 8 kg of smuggled gold valued at Rs 4.86 crore was seized and all the four accused were arrested under the provisions of Customs Act.

Further investigation in the matter is under progress," the release said. In the second case also, in a similar fashion, 1.78 kg of cut gold bars, valued at Rs. 1.09 crore, discreetly hidden within clothing was recovered from a passenger who also arrived in the same flight. In the third case, gold in paste form was concealed by a passenger who arrived from Sharjah and was found to be carrying 2.17 kg of gold worth Rs 1.32 crore.

Similarly, in the fourth case, 2.05 kg of yellow metal worth Rs 1.245 crore was seized from a passenger who arrived from Dubai. It was recovered from the passenger's undergarments as it was concealed in paste form.