In a significant crackdown on gold smuggling, Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi, apprehended a Kochi-based passenger attempting to smuggle over 1.1 kilograms of gold in paste form. The seized gold, of foreign origin, carries a tariff value of ₹94.16 lakhs.
Acting on specific intelligence, the Customs Department registered a case on April 5, 2025, against the individual who had arrived at the Domestic Terminal T-2 aboard IndiGo Flight No. 6E-2706 from Kochi. Following his disembarkation, the suspect was intercepted and escorted to the Office of Preventive Customs at the International Arrival Hall of Terminal T-3 for a detailed examination.
A thorough personal search and baggage screening led to the discovery of four blue-coloured and two green-coloured pouches concealed on the passenger. These pouches contained a gold paste from which 1,105 grams of pure gold was extracted.
Upon interrogation, the passenger confessed to knowingly carrying and smuggling the foreign-origin gold. Officials promptly seized the gold under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. The individual has also been arrested in accordance with Section 104 of the same Act.
A senior Customs official confirmed that further investigation is underway to uncover possible links to larger smuggling networks.
This arrest underscores the increasing trend of smuggling gold in paste form through domestic terminals, exploiting gaps in surveillance mechanisms traditionally focused on international arrivals.
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