CHENNAI: In a significant set of seizures at the Chennai airport, customs officials confiscated gold coins coated with silver and e-cigarettes worth Rs 1.2 crore from passengers arriving on flights from Dubai, Sharjah, and Sri Lanka. 

A total of 1.6 kg of gold was seized and cases were registered against five travellers hailing from Chennai, Ramanathapuram, and Madurai. 

Customs officials formed a special force and have been conducting intensive surveillance at the Chennai airport for the past few days after receiving information regarding large quantities of contraband arriving in Chennai from various flights.

In this situation, the customs officials monitored the passengers of a private passenger plane that arrived in Chennai from Dubai and detained two of them upon suspicion. 

When they searched their belongings, the officials found a large amount of silver coins and while examining them, found that they were all coins of 24-carat pure gold. 

The total weight of the gold coins held by the two passengers was 781 grams. Its international value is Rs 39 lakh. The officials seized the gold coins and registered cases against both of them.

In another instance, a passenger arriving from Sri Lanka via Madurai was found to be carrying 497 grams of gold ornaments concealed within his belongings. The estimated value of the seized gold was Rs 30 lakh.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident involving a passenger from Dubai, customs officials at the Chennai airport seized 1,200 e-cigarettes worth Rs 30 lakh hidden in his luggage.