Major Gold Seizure at Ahmedabad Airport: 282 Grams Hidden in Luggage
Customs officials seized 282 grams of gold hidden in luggage at Ahmedabad Airport, valued at over ₹42 lakh.
Ahmedabad, October 16 (Daily Kiran) : Customs officials at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad made a significant discovery on October 15. Acting on specific intelligence, they seized 282.910 grams of 24-carat gold from the luggage of a passenger arriving from Abu Dhabi. The gold, concealed within metal strips of three trolley bags, is valued at approximately ₹42.49 lakh.
During the inspection, authorities found the metal strips tightly secured with screws. A closer examination revealed that six strands of gold were hidden within these strips. Upon removing the metal, officials uncovered two strands of gold coated with white rhodium from each strip, totaling six strands.
The gold’s purity was confirmed to be 24 carats, with a total weight of 282.910 grams. This seizure was executed under the provisions of the Customs Act of 1962. An investigation into the matter is currently underway, especially as attempts to smuggle gold into Ahmedabad through various concealed means have been on the rise.
In August, customs officials had previously confiscated over 350 grams of gold from a passenger arriving from Dubai, valued at around ₹36.59 lakh. This gold was also hidden in a trolley bag and discovered during a targeted inspection based on intelligence.
Additionally, in another August incident, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) seized approximately 299.5 grams of gold jewelry from passengers arriving from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Kuwait, worth ₹49.23 lakh. This included gold chains and bangles that passengers had attempted to smuggle.
Earlier in June, customs officials seized a staggering 2,799.3 grams of 24-carat gold from a flight arriving from Dubai, valued at about ₹4.27 crore. The gold bars were cleverly concealed inside a speaker box located in the front restroom of the aircraft, with assistance from the plane’s engineers during the search.
Authorities are hopeful that further investigations will shed light on the circumstances surrounding this recent seizure and whether any additional individuals were involved.
