Chennai Air Customs foil gold smuggling bid, one held

Chennai, Nov 15 : Chennai Air Customs on Sunday said one person was arrested for trying to smuggle gold into the country and also seized 10,000 US dollars in denomination of $100 worth Rs 7.35 lakh.
In a statement, Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport said a passenger Siddiq Sheik Abdullah who arrived from Dubai by Air India flight was searched and three bundles of old paste weighing 656 grams recovered from rectum which on extraction yielded 596 grams gold.
One 49 gram gold cut bit was also recovered from his pant pocket. Total 645 grams gold of 24 K purity valued at Rs 33.6 lakhs was recovered and seized. Abdullah was arrested.
In another case one Mohamed Rifath, arrived from Dubai by Fly Dubai flight was intercepted at exit and on search, one bundle of gold paste of 172 grams was recovered from rectum which on extraction yielded 154 grams of gold valued at Rs 7.9 lakhs and seized .
Total 799 grams of gold worth Rs 41.56 lakh was seized from the two passengers.
Meanwhile, on Saturday Nagoor Meeran destained to Dubai was intercepted at the departure terminal while proceeding to the security hold area after Immigration, on suspicion that he might be carrying foreign currency.