KOCHI: Customs Air Intelligence officials at the Nedumbassery airport on Monday foiled yet another attempt to smuggle gold and seized the yellow metal worth ₹21 lakh from an international flier.
The passenger, who came from Dubai in the morning, was found carrying four pieces of rhodium-coated gold wires totally weighing 709.500 grams. He was intercepted at the exit gate of the international arrival hall and on examination, officials recovered gold wires that were kept as the metal beading of a trolley bag in his checked-in baggage.
A follow-up investigation is on.
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Official sources pointed to a revival in the flow of black market bullion from abroad, with smugglers regrouping post-demonetisation. According to them, hawala networks have once again become active with new currency notes, which support cash-based gold smuggling.
In view of the situation, customs sleuths here have heightened surveillance on those coming from sensitive places like Dubai and Colombo.