CHENNAI: The customs officials arrested two passengers arriving from Singapore on Monday for smuggling gold worth Rs 88 lakh at the city airport.

While checking passengers arriving at the terminal, the officials stopped two flyers on suspicion. As the pair's answers were inconsistent, the officials took them for a personal search and found they had concealed gold paste and gold bars in their undergarments.

The officials recovered and seized 789 grams of gold. Probe revealed that this was the duo's first overseas trip, and they had been used as carriers by a smuggling ring.

A case has been registered and efforts are under way to identify the key person behind the act.