Customs sleuths strike gold at airport

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 14

Customs sleuths nabbed a 19-year-old gold smuggler at the Chandigarh international airport in Mohali and recovered 840 gm of gold, worth Rs 23.11 lakh, from him here today.

The accused has been identified as Arsalan, a resident of Delhi. His accomplice, Tariq, managed to give the sleuths the slip.

According to sources, the booty — seven gold biscuits and a gold piece — was hid in a black belt made of cloth which Arsalan had put under the cushion of his seat in the aircraft from Dubai to Mohali, which landed here this morning.

As part of the modus operandi, Arsalan left the belt in the aircraft. After coming from Dubai, the aircraft goes from Mohali to Delhi.

Under the plan, Tariq had booked a ticket in the same aircraft from Mohali to Delhi and had to take out the belt at the Delhi airport. “Their plan was that as a domestic passenger, nobody would check Tariq at Delhi,” said the sources.

However, the attempt was foiled at the local airport by Air Intelligence Unit sleuths, who found the belt lying under the seat in the aircraft during its “rummaging” here. The customs sleuths intercepted Arsalan at the immigration counter.

The sources said Arsalan confessed to his crime in the afternoon. “By that time, Tariq had reached Delhi and had left the airport,” the sources said.

Arsalan said a person had given him 1.30 lakh Dirham (UAE currency) and asked him to bring gold from Dubai. Arsalan, who had gone abroad for the first time, bought gold in Dubai and hid it in the belt. Arsalan, who got Rs 10,000 for the “job”, was told to leave the belt under his seat’s cushion in the aircraft by the person.

Arsalan has been arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act. Investigations are on. This was the second catch by customs officials in a row at the airport here.