Hong Kong citizen held at Delhi airport for smuggling Rs 83 lakh luxury watch

New Delhi: A man from Hong Kong was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport here for smuggling into the country a luxury watch worth Rs 83 lakh, the customs department said on Wednesday.

The officials have also seized Rs 50 lakh recovered from a receiver of this watch. The accused passenger, aged 47, was intercepted after his arrival from Hong Kong on Sunday.

"The total market value of the watch was found to be approximately Rs. 83,00,000. The said passenger admitted that the foreign-origin watch was brought from Hong Kong to Delhi to avoid paying customs duty," the department said in a post on X.

During interrogation, the passenger admitted to previously smuggling four watches, with their total value found to be approximately Rs 2.5 crore, it said.

Further investigation led to the interception of two Indian receivers who admitted to having received smuggled watches worth approximately Rs 2.5 crore from the same passenger, the customs department said.

"Upon further probe, one Indian receiver/buyer of the smuggled watch was found in possession of Rs 50 lakhs in cash. The receiver/buyer admitted that the cash was brought as a partial payment for the smuggled watch.

"He further admitted to being in regular contact with the two receivers and confirmed his involvement in the purchase and handover of smuggled watches to his clients in India," it said.

The said Patek Philippe watch and the cash amount of Rs 50 lakh have been seized and the passenger, along with the receivers, has been placed under arrest, the customs department said.