Last month, Customs officials at the international airport here detained a Sri Lankan woman on suspicion after profiling.
Post inquiry, it was found that the woman who arrived from Colombo had concealed gold biscuits in the rectum. Three gold biscuits were confiscated from her possession.
Days later, another Sri Lankan woman was found smuggling gold using the same ‘modus operandi’. A couple of gold biscuits were wrapped in black colour tape and concealed in the rectum.
The two are among the slew of gold seizures effected by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs at the Tiruchi airport in the 2016-17 financial year.
Gold smuggling through the air continues despite vigil, if the series of seizures made in the last fiscal at the airport is any indication.
There were 94 gold seizure cases reported at the Tiruchi airport last fiscal with the total quantity being 20.77 kg, according to Customs sources. The value of seized gold was put at ₹6.24 crore. In majority of cases, gold was seized from incoming passengers who arrived from various overseas destinations by different carriers.
Smugglers seem to have adopted ingenious ways to conceal gold in various forms from abroad to avoid detection. Concealment of gold in rectum has continued to remain one among their modus operandi.
Other innovative ways adopted include concealment of gold in gas regulator, electronic items and stroller bag wheel. In one instance that took the Customs officials by surprise, gold biscuits were smuggled in a pumpkin. All these techniques were detected at the Tiruchi airport by the AIU officials.
The offences were being detected through intelligence, passenger profiling and using electronic gadgets such as the scanner and door frame metal detectors, says a senior Customs official.
There have been occasions where gullible air passengers inadvertently get carried away by the sweet talk of the “sender” and carry an item in which gold is concealed.
They bring the item without knowing that gold has been concealed inside and eventually get caught upon arrival, say the sources. Although concealment of gold in rectum has been a modus operandi mostly adopted by men, AIU officials came across the technique adopted by two Sri Lankan women last month. In few instances, the receivers waiting outside the airport to collect the consignement were also picked up after detaining a passenger inside the terminal building.
‘Well-oiled network’
Customs sources say smugglers have a well-oiled network and have become equally smart using novel tactics to sneak in gold. The lure of easy money and difference in prices are also said to be factors behind such smuggling, say the sources. If the value of the seized gold exceeds ₹20 lakh, the passenger is arrested. If it exceeds ₹one crore, the person is arrested and remanded. Penalty is imposed in all seizures irrespective of the value.
In addition to gold, Customs officials also seized prescription drugs including Codeine Phosphate.
Three such cases were booked in the last fiscal at the airport. The consignments were bound for Malaysia from India.
