Ahmedabad Customs officials have intercepted multiple gold smuggling attempts at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, seizing high-value gold jewellery and bullion concealed through innovative methods, officials said on Sunday.
In one major operation, a team from the Customs Department’s Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) apprehended four women passengers for attempting to smuggle nearly one kilogram of gold jewellery into India. The women had arrived in Ahmedabad from Jeddah when suspicious images surfaced during baggage scanning, prompting a detailed examination by AIU officers.
During the search, officials recovered seven gold chains and seven gold bangles, all coated with rhodium to mask the yellow colour of gold and evade detection. The seized jewellery weighed 945.57 grams and was found to be of 24-carat purity. According to customs officials, the market value of the recovered gold is estimated at around ₹1.52 crore.
A customs department release stated that the rhodium plating was allegedly done to avoid scrutiny during screening. Preliminary investigations suggest that the gold was handed over to the women by a travel agent, who was also travelling with the group. The gold has been seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and further investigation is underway to trace the larger network behind the smuggling attempt.
Senior customs officials noted that the rising market price of gold often correlates with an increase in smuggling incidents, as organised syndicates continuously devise new methods to bypass airport security checks. “Smugglers are becoming increasingly creative in their modus operandi. However, several such attempts have been successfully thwarted by customs teams at airports across Gujarat in recent months,” an official said.
In a separate incident, Ahmedabad Customs also intercepted a male passenger who had concealed gold inside his mouth in a bid to evade detection. The passenger, who arrived from Bangkok on January 31 by an international carrier, was stopped by AIU officers based on passenger profiling.
Upon examination, officials recovered capsule-shaped gold bars weighing 108.07 grams, wrapped in black adhesive tape and hidden inside the passenger’s mouth. The seized gold is valued at approximately ₹17.93 lakh. A customs release stated that the gold had been carefully taped and concealed to avoid detection during routine checks. The bullion has been seized, and further inquiry into the smuggling attempt is ongoing.
Customs authorities reiterated that intensified surveillance, passenger profiling, and advanced scanning techniques have significantly strengthened efforts to curb gold smuggling at international airports.
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