Patiala trader arrested with 1-kg smuggled gold

Tribune News Service

Mohali, January 12

In yet another case of gold seizure at the Chandigarh international airport, customs officials on Friday recovered 1,059 gm of gold, worth Rs 30 lakh, from a passenger.

Customs officials said the passenger had concealed two gold biscuits (weighing 117 gm and 110 gm) in his clothes and was wearing a gold chain (weighing 700 gm) and a gold-plated bangle/kada (132 gm).

This is the second incident of a gold smuggling bid foiled by customs officials this year. Earlier, a passenger was arrested for trying to smuggle 468-gm gold from Dubai on January 2.

In the latest case, the passenger, a 33-year-old Patiala-based businessman, arrived from Dubai and was nabbed during checking of luggage, sources said. “His body language aroused suspicion. During checking, it was found that he had concealed the gold bangle underneath his shirt, wearing it at elbow joint,” said an airport official.

Sources said the passenger did not co-operate with the authorities during interrogation. Customs officials said the gold has been seized and the accused arrested.