Rs 1.18-cr gold haul at airport, 2 held

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 3 

In yet another big seizure of gold, sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested two persons with 3.862 kg of the yellow metal, worth around Rs 1.18 crore, at the Chandigarh international airport at Mohali on Monday.

The accused, Jagdeep Singh from Nawanshahr and Rajesh Gupta from Jalandhar, were travelling on a flight from Sharjah to Chandigarh.

According to sources, the booty was found concealed in the sole of the footwear of both accused. 

“One of them was wearing slippers, while the other was wearing shoes. Both of them had hidden gold biscuits in the sole of their footwear,” said the sources.

The sources said the accused were about to cross the green channel when they were intercepted. During their search, the gold was detected. During preliminary interrogation, both accused confessed that they were mere carriers.

“They told DRI officials that they were carrying gold for a person residing in Jalandhar,” said the sources, adding that both accused claimed that the key person had sent them on a fun trip to the Gulf for four days free of cost.

The footwear of the accused was reportedly provided by an accomplice of the key person in the case. 

“No money was to be given to the accused for their job. Both of them fell prey to the gold smuggler for a free foreign trip,” said the sources.

The accused have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962. 

“Investigations are on in the case,” said the sources, adding that the duo would be produced before a local court on Tuesday. 

Major seizures in the past 

• The biggest recovery of gold at the airport was made in January this year when a passenger on a flight from Dubai to Chandigarh was arrested with 8.164-kg gold, worth Rs 2.26 crore. 
• July 3, 2018: In the second biggest recovery, DRI officials had nabbed a 20-year-old student, identified as Amandeep Singh from Bathinda, with around 7 kg of gold, worth Rs 2.1 crore, at the local airport. 
• July 2: Customs sleuths had also nabbed a 26-year-old woman for gold smuggling and recovered around 1,165 gm of gold, worth around Rs 35.50 lakh, from her possession here.  The Delhi-based accused, Zeenat Khatoon, had procured the gold from Dubai and was intending to take it to Delhi.