Customs officials seize 1.727 kg of gold at Bengaluru airport

Customs officials at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) seized 1.727 kg of gold worth Rs 55.7 lakh in May this year.

On May 19, two gold pieces were found concealed in the Bluetooth speaker of the check-in luggage of a passenger, Ibrahim Moozhikkal. He had arrived from Bahrain. When his baggage was subjected to checks, he insisted that the speaker was genuine.

However, when officers broke it open, they found two gold pieces weighing 233.28 gm worth Rs 7.5 lakh.

On May 5, officials apprehended Thoufeeq Maiden Batcha, who arrived at the KIA from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He had concealed 187.48 gm of cylindrical pieces of gold in his rectum and was nabbed after a body search.

On May 14, two passengers, Jaleer Mohammed Poochakad and Harish Mohammed Kunhi, were apprehended in separate instances. Poochakad arrived from Dubai via Muscat was caught smuggling 268.5 gm of gold worth Rs 8.75 lakh while Kunhi was nabbed smuggling 455.16 gm of gold worth Rs 14.78 lakh. The gold was flattened into sheets and was concealed in the lining of suitcases, officials said.

On May 18, a woman passenger, Syeda Nuzhat Rana, was caught with 583.2 gm of gold worth Rs 18.69 lakh concealed on her body.