Passenger Arrested with 2 Kgs Gold at Trichy Airport

Trichy, Tamil Nadu – In a significant bust, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Trichy Airport apprehended a female passenger on Tuesday, seizing 2,291 grams of gold valued at approximately Rs 1.53 crores. Customs officials reported that the gold, comprising both 24-karat and 22-karat purity, was discovered after the passenger failed to declare it upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur late on August 12. According to a spokesperson for Trichy Customs, the passenger was found to be ineligible to import gold based on her passport verification. The authorities emphasized that the attempt to smuggle the precious metal without declaring it constituted an evasion of customs duty. Following her arrest, the passenger has been remanded to judicial custody as investigations continue. This incident follows a similar case from last month, where a male passenger arriving from Singapore was caught with gold worth over one crore. In that case, AIU officers intercepted the individual while he attempted to cross the green channel, discovering gold concealed in paste form under knee caps worn on his thighs. The ongoing investigations highlight the vigilance of customs officials at Trichy Airport in combating gold smuggling, a persistent issue that poses challenges to regulatory frameworks and economic integrity. Further details regarding the current case and any potential connections to previous incidents are expected as the investigation unfolds.