Ahmedabad, Aug 9 (IANS) Ahmedabad Customs officials seized a 24-carat gold bar weighing 422.83 grams and valued at Rs 65.69 lakh after intercepting a passenger who had allegedly concealed gold paste inside his body at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA), Ahmedabad, on Sunday.
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Ahmedabad Customs intercepted the 24-year-old man from Godhra of Gujarat’s Panchmahal district after passenger profiling indicated the need for further examination.
He had arrived in Ahmedabad from Jeddah via Doha on Qatar Airways flight QR-534 on August 9. During examination, officials found 467.09 grams of gold paste concealed inside his body.
The recovered paste was subsequently processed and converted into a gold bar of 24-carat purity weighing 422.83 grams. Customs authorities assessed its market value at Rs 65,69,087.
The gold bar was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The passenger was arrested under the relevant provisions of the Act, while further investigation is underway.
The seizure comes amid a series of gold-smuggling cases involving unusual concealment methods at Ahmedabad airport.
On July 29, Customs officials intercepted a woman arriving from Dubai and recovered 244.16 grams of 24-carat gold, valued at Rs 35.84 lakh, which had been concealed internally in paste form, according to reports.
In another case in March, a woman arriving from Kuala Lumpur was arrested after Customs officials recovered two capsules containing a chemical paste mixed with gold concealed inside her body.
Officials subsequently extracted 553.07 grams of 24-carat gold of 999 purity, valued at Rs 83.29 lakh. The passenger was arrested under the Customs Act, 1962 and further investigation was initiated.
The latest case involves 422.83 grams of recovered gold after processing, making it another instance in which Customs officials detected gold allegedly brought into the country through concealed means.
Authorities have not disclosed further details about the intended recipient or whether the arrested passenger was linked to a wider smuggling network.
