Foreign currency worth Rs 77 lakhs seized

DRI sleuths, acting on a specific intelligence input, intercepted Yousuf Shahul Hameed of Chennai during early hours on Friday at Chennai airport as he was about to board a Scoot flight to Singapore. 

The DRI officials took him for interrogation, during which Yousuf confessed to carrying foreign currency on him and in his hand baggage. He also admitted to carrying two bundles in his rectum. DRI officials examined his bag and retrieved the cash. The accused voluntarily gave them the two bundles, which were rolled and tightly packed under his clothes using adhesives. 

DRI officials said Yousuf was carrying assorted foreign currencies including Australian Dollar, US Dollar, Canada Cent Dollar, Euros, Francs, Pounds, Singapore Dollars, Malaysian Ringgits, Saudi and Qatar Riyals. The accused had no legal documents available with him to prove the purchase of the foreign currency. Since the amount was above the prescribed carriage limit while flying to Singapore, the officials confiscated the amount and arrested the accused. DRI sleuths have launched an investigation to find the source of the money carried by Yousuf.