Mumbai Customs seizes over 7.88 kg gold worth Rs 4.29 crore

The recovered gold dust. Pic/ official sources

Mumbai Customs on Friday said that it seized over 7.88 kg gold valued at Rs 4.29 crore and 16 iPhones in as many as 10 cases.

It said that in one of the cases the gold was concealed in toilet of the airport lounge involving a housekeeping staff, in juice powder pack and sandals cavity among other places.

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The operation uncovered a variety of creative concealment methods employed by the smugglers. Gold was found concealed in various ingenious locations, including the toilet of the airport lounge, it said.

In a spate of successful interceptions, the officials of Mumbai Customs at the city airport have seized gold weighing 6.33 kilograms. The gold is approximately valued at Rs 3.49 crore. The officials of Mumbai Customs said that the seizures were made over a span of two days--February 6 and February 7.

"The seizures were made across five distinct cases, all involving Indian nationals attempting to evade customs duties by concealing gold through various methods. The ingenuity of the smugglers was evident as the gold was found hidden in different items, including clothing, electronic devices, and luggage," said a senior customs official.

The officials revealed that the smugglers had resorted to concealing the precious metal in their bodies, in the fabric of their attire, and inside an array of items like a mobile charger, purse, hair dryer, etc.

"The successful interceptions represent a significant blow to illegal gold smuggling networks operating in the region. Mumbai Customs Zone-III has been actively implementing stringent measures to curb such illicit activities, deploying advanced scanning technologies and conducting thorough inspections of passengers and their belongings," the official added.

Commenting on the seizures, another customs official said, "These interceptions demonstrate the effectiveness of our enforcement efforts and the dedication of our personnel in safeguarding the nation's borders. We remain committed to combatting illegal smuggling activities and upholding the integrity of our customs regulations."