In a major crackdown on smuggling, officers of the Thiruvananthapuram Customs Zone, under the leadership of Shri S.K. Rahman, Chief Commissioner, seized a large quantity of undeclared foreign currency from a woman passenger at Cochin International Airport last night, May 15.
Acting on specific intelligence, the Customs team intercepted a lady passenger who was scheduled to travel to Dubai by Flight SG 18. Upon detailed examination of her checked-in baggage, officers discovered 2,00,000 Saudi Riyals (SAR) — equivalent to approximately Rs. 44.40 lakhs — ingeniously concealed inside aluminium foils placed within her suitcase.
The concealment method pointed to a well-planned smuggling attempt, which was thwarted due to the vigilance and swift action of the Customs team. The recovered currency has been seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, and further investigation is currently underway to uncover potential links and the broader network involved.
This seizure is a significant achievement for the Thiruvananthapuram Zone Customs, which oversees four major international airports in Kerala: Cochin, Trivandrum, Calicut, and Kannur.
Since assuming charge, Shri S.K. Rahman has intensified anti-smuggling efforts across the zone. His focused strategy and robust enforcement measures aim to make the airports in Kerala smuggling-free zones through rigorous surveillance, coordinated intelligence gathering, and prompt interdictions.
A senior official stated that the department remains committed to maintaining a zero-tolerance approach towards smuggling and illegal currency movement.
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