Customs officers of Thiruvananthapuram Zone successfully thwarted seven smuggling attempts during the past week, recovering contraband including gold, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and a high-end luxury watch, collectively valued at approximately ₹1.66 crore.
According to Customs officials, the operations were carried out at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and other key checkpoints under the zone’s jurisdiction. The seizures included 0.721 kg of gold valued at ₹84.87 lakh, foreign-origin cigarettes worth ₹3.4 lakh, e-cigarettes worth ₹7.77 lakh, and a luxury wristwatch valued at a staggering ₹70 lakh.
The smuggling attempts were foiled as part of intensified surveillance and passenger profiling by the Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU). The contraband items were found ingeniously concealed in baggage and personal belongings of arriving passengers.
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