Mumbai: A diamond broker from Surat was caught by the Mumbai airport Customs, in his first attempt to smuggle in gold, as his appearance and hairstyle made him a fit case for profiling.
During the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted Vipul Kumar Nathubhai (33), on his arrival from Dubai by an Emirates Airlines flight.
27 gold bars
Examination of his baggages resulted in the recovery of 27 gold bars of 10 tola each, collectively weighing 3.132 kg and valued at ₹95,00,000. The gold bars were wrapped in black adhesive tape and they were kept along with a Jim Beam Bourbon bottle in its tin box purchased in Dubai’s duty-free shop. A case was filed and the passenger arrested.
Mr. Nathubhai is into the business of brokerage in diamonds in Surat. He acted as a carrier to smuggle in the goods for a monetary consideration. Pradnyasheel Jumle, Deputy Commissioner of Customs (AIU), told The Hindu that the accused had gone to Dubai, his first trip, on June 5. After having stayed there for two days, Mr. Nathubhai returned to Mumbai after collecting the gold.
At Dubai airport, the broker purchased a bottle of Jim Beam Bourbon whiskey packed in a tin box. After arriving in Mumbai, Mr. Nathubhai purchased another bottle at the airport duty free and kept both the bottles in the Mumbai duty-free bag to make it seem like a local purchase hoping it would not attract suspicion.
“The shape of the bottle and tin was such that it allowed for gold to be hidden in it. An attempt was made, but we managed to catch him purely because his appearance matched our profiling,” said Mr. Jumle.
