CHENNAI: The customs officials seized gold worth Rs 1.23 crore from a passenger at the city airport in the early hours of Tuesday.

While checking passengers flying in from Dubai on Tuesday, the customs team intercepted a 35-year-old man from Chennai, who went to Dubai on a tourist visa, on suspicion.

Unsatisfied by his evasive replies, the personnel escorted the passenger for a personal search. However, the personal search and luggage search yielded nothing suspicious. Probing further, the officers searched the man's belongings individually and found his water bottle weighing heavier than normal. It was then they found that the flyer was carrying gold in paste form hidden in his stainless steel water bottle.

The officers recovered and seized 1.5 kg of gold valued at Rs 1.23 crore and the passenger was arrested for further inquiry.