72-year-old man arrested at Dibrugarh airport for carrying nine gold biscuits

Zee Hindustan's Anjanil Kashyap reports that the Chamanlal Mehta had strapped the gold biscuits under his clothing, hoping that security checks would be lenient considering his age.

A 72-year-old man was arrested at the Dibrugarh airport in Assam on Tuesday after Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) found as many as nine gold biscuits on him during routine security checking.

It is reported that Chamanlal Mehta was arrested after the gold biscuits were found hidden in his clothing at the airport here. It is suspected that he may have smuggled gold biscuits in the past as well, banking on the assumption that no one would suspect him due to his age. Initial investigations have revealed that Mehta was smuggling the biscuits to an agent in Delhi and had therefore hidden them carefully in his clothing. He had previously handed over the gold biscuits to this agent as well.

According to CISF officials at the Dibrugarh airport, elderly people are shown some degree of leniency during checks although even they have to go through all the routine checks as their fellow passengers. Mehta may have tried to take advantage of this to smuggle the gold biscuits which are estimated to be worth several crores.

Mehta has reportedly admitted that while he has no direct connection with the smuggling of the gold biscuits, he is given a commission by a man named Ashwini in Dibrugarh to ensure that the delivery is made to the concerned agent in Delhi. He reportedly also said that he was not in the best of health.

Local police officials have now launched a search operation to nab all those involved in the gold smuggling racket.

(Reporting by Anjanil Kashyap/Zee Hindustan)