Hyderabad: 31 July- Customs officials at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad seized gold paste worth Rs 81.6 lakh from a passenger on Saturday. The gold was hidden in the form of paste in the passenger’s pant pocket.
The passenger, who was traveling from Chennai to Hyderabad, was intercepted by customs officials during a security check. On inspection, the officials found a packet of gold paste weighing about 1.329 kg. The passenger has been arrested and a case has been registered against him under the relevant sections of the Customs Act, 1962.
This is the second major seizure of gold paste at the RGIA in recent weeks. In a similar incident three days ago, customs officials seized 1.54 kg of gold worth Rs 94.99 lakh from two passengers who arrived at the airport from Malaysia. The gold was also hidden as a paste in the passengers’ jeans and underwear.
The seizure of gold paste at the RGIA is a worrying trend. Gold paste is a relatively new method of smuggling gold, and it is difficult to detect. Customs officials are urging passengers to declare all their gold ornaments and bullion when they arrive at the airport.
