mangalore today

Gold smuggling: Two persons arrested at Mangalore International Airport


mangaloretoday.com

Mangaluru, Oct 28: The customs officials at Mangalore International Airport have arrested two persons for smuggling Gold valued Rs. 53,00,000 on Wednesday, October 28, 2015. The arrested persons identified as Hanif aged 50 and Bashir aged 35. Both are native of Kasargod in Kerala state.

 

gold smuggled.


Based on the behaviour and responses to specific questions, the officers zeroed in on to two passengers, who had arrived from Dubai with assorted consumer items.  As the passengers could not provide satisfactory replies, their accompanied baggage were subjected to detailed examination, which resulted in recovery of gold in the form of coarse powder, ingeniously concealed in assorted items like tooth pastes, shampoo, face cream, Boost powder, Vaseline etc., which were carried by both the passengers.


Both Hanif and Bashir were passengers in the Air India Express flight coming from Dubai to Mangalore in early morning on Wednesday, October 28.

On sustained interrogation, the passengers have deposed that they have intentionally concealed the subject gold to avoid detection by Customs and to evade payment of appropriate Customs duties.  Owing to the fact that the passengers were not eligible passengers to import gold and since the subject gold has been smuggled into India in contravention of the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, read with the Baggage Rules, 1998, the 2 kgs of gold valued over Rs.53 lakhs was seized. 


The passengers were arrested on 28.10.2015 and later produced before the Principal Civil Judge (Senior Division) and Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangalore, who remanded them to judicial custody today for 15 days.

Further investigation is under progress.