Air India passenger caught trying a bold gold smuggling trick at Delhi Airport- 170 grams worth Rs 20 lakh hidden inside a water bottle cap! How did customs uncover this clever concealment? Read the full story here.
Officials seized 170 grams of gold.
New Delhi: In a daring attempt to bypass customs, an Air India passenger arriving from Dubai was intercepted at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) while trying to smuggle gold worth Rs 20 lakh. Delhi Customs officials seized 170 grams of gold, ingeniously hidden inside the cap of a plastic water bottle.
The passenger, whose identity has not been disclosed, attempted to exit the airport through the green channel, a route meant for travelers with no dutiable or prohibited goods to declare. However, airport officials had discreetly tracked him from the flight gate after noticing suspicious behavior.
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During routine X-ray screening of his luggage, customs officers observed irregularities in the images, prompting a detailed examination. The search revealed a gold round carefully concealed under the cap of a plastic water bottle, a clever tactic that ultimately failed to evade detection.
“The passenger was discreetly followed from the flight gate and intercepted while attempting to exit through the green channel. During the X-ray screening, officers noticed suspicious images,” ANI reported.
The recovered gold weighed 170 grams, which, based on current market rates, is valued at roughly ₹20 lakh. Officials confirmed that the seizure was conducted under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and a formal investigation is underway to determine the source of the gold and the motive behind the smuggling attempt.
Customs officials emphasized that such operations highlight the increasing sophistication of smuggling tactics, where smugglers attempt to exploit loopholes in airport security using creative concealment methods.
This incident comes just a day after another major gold smuggling attempt at IGI Airport. On October 24, a female passenger arriving from Yangon, Myanmar, on a Myanmar Airways International flight was intercepted by Delhi Customs.
A search of her luggage revealed six gold bars weighing a total of 997.5 grams, further underscoring the prevalence of gold smuggling attempts through international flights. The back-to-back incidents have put customs officials on high alert, prompting stricter scrutiny of baggage and passenger movements at international arrivals.
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Delhi Customs’ proactive surveillance and thorough baggage screening were crucial in both cases, preventing significant amounts of gold from entering the domestic market illegally. Authorities have stated that investigations are ongoing and that anyone found attempting similar offenses will face strict action under Indian law.
With gold smuggling attempts becoming increasingly sophisticated, customs authorities continue to upgrade their screening technologies and monitoring protocols to safeguard national revenue and prevent illegal imports.
