Rs 80-lakh gold haul at airport

Mohali, December 8

In what is reportedly the biggest haul at the Chandigarh international airport, customs officials today arrested a smuggler and recovered 2.92 kg of gold worth Rs 80 lakh, concealed in a vacuum cleaner, from his possession.

According to sources, the accused, a 31-year-old Delhi-based agriculturist, was returning from Dubai and arrived at the airport to catch a connecting flight to Delhi via Chandigarh.

Customs officials said he had travelled to Dubai from Delhi on December 5. 

The sources said the smuggler was nabbed due to strong coordination between the customs intelligence staff and baggage officers. “The smuggler was intercepted by customs sleuths as he looked suspicious and nervous. During the baggage check, it was found that he had carefully concealed the gold in a vacuum cleaner,” said a customs official.

“The vacuum cleaner suction was not functioning properly. Upon dismantling its spare parts, the team found that two parts had been replaced with aluminium-coated gold bars,” the official said.

The accused was arrested under provisions of the Custom s Act and later released on bail. The official said investigation was under way.

On October 17, customs officials had nabbed a Jalandhar resident for trying to smuggle gold biscuits weighing over 1 kg, while on October 25, 600 gm of gold was recovered from a Chandigarh-Dubai flight.

Was concealed in vacuum cleaner

“The smuggler was intercepted by customs sleuths as he looked suspicious and nervous. During the baggage check, it was found that he had carefully concealed the gold in a vacuum cleaner,” said a customs official. — TNS