Palestinian held in Mumbai for smuggling gold bars worth Rs 3.5 cr

Mumbai: A Palestinian student was today arrested by Customs officials at the international airport in Mumbai for allegedly trying to smuggle in gold bars worth Rs 3.5 crore.

Mohammed Rana, an engineering student, was intercepted while he was passing through the green channel this morning, a Customs official said. When his luggage was checked, gold bars weighing 10.5 kg were found in his possession. Only those passengers who have no goods to declare can pass through the green channel, the official added. According to Customs, Rana was stopped on suspicion and on checking the meticulously concealed gold bars were sighted. Rana, who landed at the airport on a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain, was subsequently arrested and the gold bars were confiscated, the official added. The 22-year-old came to deliver the gold to a receiver in the city, the official said, adding probe was on. PTI