CHENNAI: Sleuths from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) secured 5.7 kg gold from the homes of two women employed as ground staffers at the Chennai airport on Sunday.

Later, the seizure led to another seizure of 1.5 kg gold, Rs 45 lakh, and foreign currency worth Rs 5 lakh at Mannadi.

The receiver of the gold and an agent were also detained and the total value of the gold seized is Rs 4.5 crore. Based on and intelligence tip-off that women staffers employed to help passengers inside the airport were smuggling gold, DRI sleuths reached the homes of 2 women — Sneha and Sangeetha — in Pallavaram and Chromepet respectively on Sunday.

They seized 5.7 kg gold, which, investigations revealed, was handed over to them by a transit passenger from Dubai.

Sleuths also secured the receiver, Mohammed Harshath of Pudukottai, who came to get the gold. After interrogation, it was revealed that Harshath was staying in Mannadi. They searched his house too on Monday morning, and seized 1.5 kg gold, Rs 45 lakh cash and foreign currency worth Rs 5 lakh.

DRI sleuths also nabbed Kalaiarasan, who was the agent who got the gold out of the airport. Kalaiarasan was a former airport staff, who lured the women to aide smugglers. All four are arrested, DRI sources said.