India: Customs seize 1.16kg gold from a Sharjah-Chennai passenger at Chennai airport

Chennai: Gold concealed inside an electric wrench weighing 1.16 kg valued at Rs 6.4 million was seized by Customs officials at the Chennai International Airport and two persons were arrested.

In a statement issued here, the Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport said a male passenger Jahir Hussain, 54, who flew in by Air India Express from Sharjah was intercepted by the officials as he appeared to be in a hurry.

On opening the carton box he was carrying clothes, household items and a toolkit was found inside.

Inside the tool kit an electric wrench machine used for opening nuts and bolts was found which appeared to be unusually heavy.

On unscrewing the machine one cylindrical metal piece painted black was found concealed.

The gold assayer removed the black paint and certified the metal cylinder to be made of 24K gold weighing 1.16 kg valued at Rs 6.4 million, the Customs said.

The passenger informed that the tool kit was handed to him by an unknown person in Sharjah airport with instructions to hand over the same to someone who will contact him once he reaches his Quarantine facility – a five star hotel here.

In a swift operation after getting his swab test done, one official team boarded the bus along with the passenger and another followed the bus.

On reaching the hotel the passenger contacted the receiver who was waiting outside and handed over the tool kit. Receiver Mohammad Asif, 33, of Chennai was apprehended during the handing over and arrested.