Media Release

Mangaluru, Jan 1: Customs officers at Mangaluru International Airport, during December 2017, have detected 14 cases and intercepted 18 passengers who had adopted diverse modus operandi to smuggle the contraband.

The officers seized 3.87 kg smuggled gold valued over Rs.1.1 crore and foreign currencies equivalent to Rs 56.11 lac, which was attempted to be smuggled out of the country.

In a press release, Mangaluru Customs has notified that contraband gold was smuggled in various forms namely gold foils to wrap chocolate bars and chewing gums; stitching copper coated gold wires inside embroidered flowers of burkas; concealing cubical pieces and circular plates of gold inside lids of face creams and make up kits; concealing gold pieces inside electronic devices like hair trimmer etc. Further, three passengers had smuggled gold by way of concealment in their rectum.

The officers have also seized assorted foreign currencies equivalent to Rs 56.1 lac in three separate incidents which was procured illicitly and attempted to be smuggled out of the country.

The passengers intercepted hailed from Kasargod, Bhatkal, Ullasnagar and one from Mumbai arriving from/departing to Middle East.

In the cases registered, six passengers had been arrested and remanded to judicial custody by civil judge (Senior Division) and chief judicial magistrate.