Gold, foreign currency, iPhones, cigarettes worth Rs 2.65 crore seized by Chennai Air Customs; 7 arrested

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Chennai: In separate cases, Chennai Air Customs officials seized 4.77 kg gold worth Rs 2.41 crore, foreign currency worth Rs 5.13 lakh and iPhones, cigarettes, health supplements worth Rs 19.15 lakhs and made seven arrests. 

Based on intelligence, officials intercepted and frisked four passengers - Mohammed Rabeek of Ramanathapuram, Mohamed Yazeer Khan of Chennai, Mujeebur Rahman and Bilal from Tiruchirapalli, who had arrived from Dubai via Air India Express flight IX 1644. Four gold cut bits (198 grams), four gold chains, six gold paste packets were recovered from their jeans. 

iPhone 12 units, cigarettes, health supplements valued at Rs 9.8 lakh were also recovered from their handbags and seized. Eight bundles of gold paste weighing 1.928 kg were recovered from the rectum of Mujeebur and Bilal, which yielded 1.72 kg gold on extraction. Mujeebur, Bilal and Mohamed Rabeek were arrested. 

Frisking of three passengers who had arrived via Fly Dubai FZ8517 led to the seizure of seven bundles of gold paste weighing 1.52 kg from the rectum which yielded 1.38 kg gold after extraction, a 49-gram gold chain, besides iPhones and Cigarettes worth Rs.9.35 lakhs in their handbags. The passengers identified as Fasil Rahuman and Ashok Kumar from Ramanathapuram,  Mathan Kumar of Puddukottai were arrested. 

Three bundles of gold paste were recovered from Mohamed Vaaris of Chennai and Ihsanullah of Ramanathapuram who arrived by Air Arabia Flight G 9471 from Sharjah. 

In another case, Sayed Mohamed of Madurai who arrived via Emirates flight EK 544 was intercepted at the exit and frisked. He was arrested for carrying six gold chains concealed in the handbag, 2 gold washers and 1 gold coin ingeniously concealed two wristwatches weighing 526 grams with a total valued of Rs 26.5 lakhs. 

At the International departure terminal, Rasuldeen of Sivaganga who was bound for Dubai via Flight FZ8518 was intercepted after clearing immigration. On search, 5000 Pound Sterling and 500 Singapore Dollars valued at Rs 5.13 lakhs which were undeclared were recovered and seized under Customs Act r/w FEMA.

Gold and other goods totally valued at Rs 2.65 crore were seized in eleven cases and seven arrests were made.