Indian Airport Customs seize Rs 160 million worth smuggled gold biscuits

NEW DELHI (Scrap Monster): The Indian Customs officials at the Ahmedabad International Airport foiled a major gold smuggling attempt. Six persons including a woman were arrested while trying to smuggle 60 kilograms of gold from Dubai. The seized gold is worth nearly Rs 160 million, customs officials said.

Cliford Anthony D’costa- a resident of Mumbai and the mastermind behind the plot along with other two passengers- Virendra Singh Sultan from Haryana and Sapna Dipakbhai from Mumbai had boarded the flight from Dubai. Acting on a tip off, the officials intercepted the passengers. Upon checking the baggage, they found nine boxes containing 60 gold biscuits and cash in various currencies. The officials also arrested the two receivers and their driver who were supposed to collect the smuggled gold outside of the airport.

According to police, the same gang have been smuggling gold from Dubai to India through Ahmedabad airport. This is the sixth time that they have smuggled gold into the country. Describing the modus operandi of the gang, A K Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police stated that the gang used to locate passengers at airport who are willing to work for them. The gold is then hidden in their baggage. The passengers are paid Rs 50,000 per trip apart from food and hotel accommodation charges. The receivers are provided with the mobile contact number of the agents. The agents, in turn, identify the receivers with the help of photographs sent on their mobile through WhatsApp and handover the gold behind closed doors.

Ina separate incident, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials arrested three persons on charges of smuggling 7.83 kilograms of gold worth over Rs 2 crores. The gold was found concealed inside the gear box of the car that they were travelling in. All the three were arrested under Section 104 of the Indian Customs Act.