Two passengers arriving from Bangkok were arrested with gold bars worth ₹1.67 crore by Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officials of Mumbai airport Customs early on Sunday, just as they were about to exit the airport. A third person, who was to collect the gold, was also caught.
AIU officials intercepted Harish Kumar Chopra and Karan Kumar based on specific inputs when they were walking towards the exit gate, and searched their sling bags. Mr. Chopra and Mr. Kumar had travelled from Bangkok by Air India flight A331.
The AIU team recovered six gold bars weighing 1kg each and a cut gold bar with a foreign mark, according to a statement by Commissioner of Customs, V. Rama Mathew. Ms. Mathew said the duo planned to hand over the gold bars to one Ajay Kumar, who was waiting in another part of the airport after arriving from Delhi. He was also arrested. Ms. Mathew said all three passengers have admitted to being complicit in smuggling the gold. A case has been registered under the Customs Act.
On August 7, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had recovered 36 kg gold worth ₹10 crore, smuggled in two air courier consignments from Hong Kong.
