A novel way was adopted to smuggle in gold from abroad and a passenger arrested at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad on Saturday last.
Smugglers concealed gold in a paste of an unknown substance and tried to smuggle it into the city but it was foiled by sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. The consignment allegedly originated from Colombo and was being smuggled to Hyderabad via Madurai.
The DRI officials intercepted the passenger who arrived by Spice Jet Flight No. SG-1314 from Madurai at the arrival hall of RGIA. On examination, it was found that he was carrying two packages in his hand luggage containing the paste weighing 1,850 grams, which on further examination turned out to have a gold content of 1,120 grams.
During interrogation, he revealed that he was entrusted with the job of retrieving the ''gold paste'' during the domestic run of the flight, while it was brought by an associate in a flight from from Colombo to Madurai, so as to avoid Customs check at the international airport.
The passenger admitted to not having any documents to prove the legitimate purchase/import of the said gold, said a DRI official.
A total of 1.10 kg of gold, valued at ₹ 34.57 lakh, was extracted from the paste. It was seized under the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation was on, the official said.
