Indian customs officials have recovered gold concealed in electric wires from a passenger at the international airport in Hyderabad.
The gold weighing 1.48 kg, worth around $84,000 (INR 62.1 million) was recovered from the baggage of a passenger, who had arrived from Riyadh at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in the southern city.
The customs officials recovered the precious metal after removing the plastic coating of the long bundle of cables.
On 12.03.2020 Customs officers, RGI Airport, Hyd examined baggage of a pax arrived from Riyadh by Flt. XY325 and found gold concealed in THHN/THNN Building wire. Recovered gold weighed 1382.580 gms, valued Rs.60.21 lakhs. Pax has been arrested. @cbic_india @FinMinIndia pic.twitter.com/fnnUn68QwZ
— Hyderabad GST & Customs (@Hyderabad_GST) March 13, 2020
Hyderabad GST & Customs Zone: Customs officers at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport examined baggage of a passenger who arrived from Riyadh by flight XY325 and found gold concealed in a wire. Recovered gold weighed 1382.580 g valued at Rs 60.21 lakhs. Accused has been arrested. pic.twitter.com/epxTFSv9Db
— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2020
The passenger was detained and taken for further questioning after customs officials grew suspicious of him and subjected his baggage to X-ray screening, where the presence of the yellow metal was detected.
In two separate incidents in February this year, foreign currency worth $63,137 and $60,000 were found hidden in edible items like cooked mutton pieces, peanuts, biscuit packets, and deodorant cans at Delhi Airport.