2019's biggest catch: 3.6 kg gold seized from passenger

In a new modus operandi of gold smuggling busted at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, a passenger carrying 3.6 kg of gold worth Rs 1.19 cr was nabbed by Customs Officials. The passenger was travelling from Dubai to Bengaluru and had hidden the gold in a bench vice. This is the biggest seizure of gold from a single passenger this year at the Airport.

The accused, who hailed from Chamarajanagar had hidden two gold bars worth one kg each and four cut pieces of the gold bar. "They were covered with black insulation tape and were neatly packed inside a small compartment made of thick iron sheets inside the bench vice," according to Customs Department.

After concealing the gold inside the bench vice, thick sheet of iron was used to cover the compartment which was welded and grinded. Apart from it, the vice was painted to make it appear as a genuine article. Apart from its essential parts, the bench vice contained around 7.6 kgs of iron to cloak the gold hidden inside it.

"The item appeared to be suspicious while we scanned it, due to which the passenger was questioned by officials of the Air Intelligence Unit. His responses during questioning prompted the officials to thoroughly check the vice during which the gold was found," sources added.

Aluminium coated gold

In another arrest at the Airport, a passenger flying to Bengaluru from Muscat was arrested while attempting to smuggle in 358 gms of gold worth Rs 11.75 lakh.

The accused had attempted to smuggle the yellow metal in 14 pieces by hiding it in his trolley bag. While four very thin strips of gold coated with aluminium coloured paint on the handle of his trolley bag, two gold buckles coated with balck paint were fitted in the strap of the bag. Eight smaller strops of aluminium paint coated gold were pasted inside of the metal casing of the bag.

Customs officials were able to detect the hidden gold and nabbed the accused.