Bangalore, Sep 26 (Deccan Chronicle): A Dubai-bound Emirates flight got delayed by more than two hours from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Thursday after the facilities staff found gold bars in the passenger cabin of the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.

The plane had earlier flown in from Dubai. The staff spotted four gold tola bars, each weighing 116 gm, under a seat & immediately informed the Central Industrial Security Force personnel, who in turn alerted the airport custom officials. The custom officials recovered the four gold bars, totally weighing 464 grams and worth close to Rs 14 lakh.

“As the plane flew in from Dubai, it could be possible that the gold smuggler, who feared he will get caught by the airport customs, had apparently abandoned them under a seat,” said sources from customs. “We have retrieved the appropriate passenger lists and have procured vital clues by which we will trace the culprits and book them,” they added.

The passengers had no clue about what was happening until the captain of the flight announced that the flight might be delayed by few hours as the customs officials were checking for a case of possible gold smuggling. The custom officials were also questioning the crew members about the identity of passengers, who were seated close to the spot where the gold bars were found, texted a passenger who was bound to Dubai.

The scheduled time of departure of the Emirates flight no. EK565 from KIA was 10.30 am and it was expected to reach Dubai by 12.50 pm. But the plane took off from KIA airport only at 12.46 pm after it was cleared for take off by the KIA customs officials.