Officers of the Customs Department in the Thiruvananthapuram Zone successfully foiled four separate smuggling attempts during the past week, leading to the seizure of contraband goods valued at over ₹61 lakh. The seizures included gold, drone components, high-end mobile phones, and foreign cigarettes, highlighting the diverse methods and commodities involved in smuggling operations in the region.
In the most significant seizure, Customs officials intercepted smuggled gold valued at ₹45.11 lakh. Acting on specific intelligence, officers detected the concealment of gold in passenger baggage and personal belongings during routine checks at the international airport. The gold was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, and further investigation is underway to trace the source and intended recipients.
In another operation, Customs officers recovered drone parts worth ₹8.73 lakh. Officials said the consignment raised serious security concerns, as drone components are increasingly being smuggled for potential misuse. The parts were intercepted during examination of baggage and cargo consignments, and authorities are probing possible links to organised smuggling networks.
Customs also seized iPhones valued at approximately ₹6.5 lakh, which were being smuggled to evade customs duty. The devices were allegedly concealed in passenger baggage to avoid detection. In a separate case, foreign cigarettes worth ₹1.31 lakh were confiscated after officers found them hidden in checked-in luggage.
According to Customs officials, all four cases were detected through a combination of intelligence inputs, passenger profiling, and vigilant screening. Statements of the involved passengers are being recorded, and further investigations are ongoing to identify syndicates operating across borders.
