Another gold smuggling bid at local airport

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 13

Acting on a tip-off, custom sleuths foiled another attempt to smuggle out gold at the international airport, here today.

The custom officials nabbed Baljit Singh, a resident of Batala, Gurdaspur district, at the airport and recovered 540 gram gold, worth Rs 14.62 lakh.

The silver coated booty was hidden in a briefcase in shape of its beading.

Baljit Kumar was travelling in a flight from Dubai, which landed here this morning.

During his interrogation, the accused claimed that the briefcase was handed over to him by an unknown ‘Punjabi’ man at the Dubai airport. He told the officials that the ‘person told him (Baljit) that the briefcase was full of garments, which he wanted to be delivered to his family. As the person offered him Rs 5,000 for delivering the briefcase to a man wearing a yellow-coloured shirt, at the local airport, here, Baljit Kumar claimed that he accepted his offer after checking the briefcase properly.

The person had also clicked Baljit’s photo on his mobile phone. Baljit Kumar claimed that he was unaware of the gold in the briefcase.

According to sources, Baljit Kumar belonged to a humble family and was dealing in auto -spare parts. He had gone to Thailand two years ago, said the sources.

An action under appropriate sections of the Custom Act 1962 has been initiated against him.

It is to be noted that the sleuths had also nabbed a gold smuggler two days ago and recovered two 24-carret gold bars, weighing around 407 gram, worth Rs 11 lakh, which he had hid in his rectum.