Gold worth Rs 1.4 crore seized from female passenger at Chennai airport

CHENNAI: Customs officials at Chennai International Airport seized 920 gram of gold paste valued at approximately Rs 1.4 crore from a woman passenger who arrived from Dubai on Monday and arrested her.

Officials of the Air Intelligence Unit were closely monitoring passengers on a flight from Dubai, which reached Chennai during the early hours of Monday.

During screening, officers found the behaviour of a 34-year-old passenger, Jannath Hamza, suspicious. When questioned, she gave inconsistent answers after which she was detained for further questioning. A detailed check of her luggage revealed nothing.

Subsequently, female officers took her to a separate room for a personal search. During the search, they found that she had concealed gold paste inside her inner garments.

The total weight of the gold paste is 920 gram and its international market value is estimated at around Rs 1.4 crore, officials said. Further investigation is underway.

Probe revealed that the woman was a frequent flyer and investigation is underway if she was a regular carrier.