The Air Intelligence Unit seized 2.33 kg of gold worth approximately ₹1.11 crore from a passenger who arrived on an Air India flight from Dubai at the Calicut International Airport on Monday.
Customs officials said the gold was concealed inside a new coffee maker machine. The passenger, Muhammad Shafeeque Melethil of Moorkkanad, Malappuram, was arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
This was the second day in a row that the Air Intelligence Unit was seizing a fairly large quantity of gold from passengers arriving from Dubai at the Calicut airport. Based on intelligence input, Customs officers, along with officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, seized 4.8 kg of gold and 2.47 kg of gold compound worth ₹2.95 crore from four passengers who arrived on an Air India Express flight on Sunday.
Officials said that V.C. Afthab of Kannur had attempted to smuggle 2.099 kg of gold by concealing it inside the battery of a rechargeable table fan. The 18 pieces of gold had been coated with silver colour. The accused was arrested and remanded in judicial custody by Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Manjeri, for 14 days.
They said that K. Ajmal of Kozhikode had also attempted to smuggle 1.983 kg of gold by concealing it inside the battery of an emergency lamp.
The third passenger, P. Nisamudheen of Kannur, had attempted to smuggle gold in compound form in the shape of five capsules weighing 1.339 kg by concealing it inside his rectum.
Another passenger P. Mujeeb Rahman of Mukkom, Kozhikode, had attempted to smuggle gold in compound form in the shape of five capsules weighing 1.071 kg, also by concealing it inside his rectum, officials said.
