2.9-kg gold seized from Dubai traveller

Mohali, January 2

The Customs Department seized 2.907-kg gold, worth Rs 1.59 crore, from a passenger at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport here on December 31. The passenger had arrived on a flight from Dubai.

He was stopped in the green channel and on examination, officials recovered six rectangular pouches from his underwear. He was taken away for further questioning.

An official said: “Based on profiling, officers of the Ludhiana customs at the airport intercepted a passenger of an Indigo flight (6E56) from Dubai to Chandigarh, and detected six rectangular pouches pasted inside his underwear.

“Gold weighing 2,907 gm was extracted, having a market value of Rs 1,59,07,104. The extracted gold in the shape of two bars has been seized and further proceedings as per the Customs Act and extant instructions are under way,” he added.On November 14, the officials had nabbed a person with gold worth Rs 52 lakh. The search had resulted in the recovery of 12 pouches with yellowish-brown paste from the turban and two pouches from the waist and zip stitching of the passenger’s trousers.