Customs Dept seizes 755-gm gold from flyer

Amritsar, March 14

The Customs Department recovered 755 grams of gold worth Rs 49.67 lakh from a passenger arrived from Sharjah at Sri Guru Ram Dass International Airport here on Thursday.

Officials of the Customs Department said acting on a tip-off, the passenger was thoroughly checked by department staff and a packet of about 904 grams of gold wrapped in black tape was recovered from him. Of the gold seized, 755 grams of pure gold was recovered. He hid this packet under his turban.

Officials said the passenger had come to Amritsar from Sharjah by an Air India Express flight. The Anti-Smuggling Department of the Customs Department seized the gold under sections of the Customs Act, 1962, and further action is being taken.

Yesterday too, the Customs Department recovered 291.75 grams of gold from two Indian travellers, who came from Pakistan through the Attari border, the market value of which is estimated to be around Rs 19 lakh. The gold was in the form of jewellery and was of 24 carat. The gold was seized by the department and further action is being taken in this connection.