In a swift early morning operation on Tuesday, vigilant customs officers at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport foiled an attempt to smuggle 1,697 grams of melted gold paste, valued at a staggering ₹87.14 lakh, by two air travellers arriving from Doha, Qatar.
The duo, allegedly hailing from Hubli, Karnataka, and holding Indian passports, had cunningly concealed the precious metal in a semi-solid, yellow-coloured paste form within their luggage. Their intent was clear: evade customs duties imposed on gold imports. Acting on a tip-off, customs officers promptly detained the suspects for questioning, as per the directives of Commissioner of Customs, Avinash Thete, and Additional Commissioner Peeyoush Bhati.
Upon rigorous interrogation and meticulous examination of their belongings, the passengers admitted to possessing the smuggled gold paste. Under the provisions of the Customs Act 1962, the gold, with an estimated worth of ₹87.14 lakh, was seized by the customs authorities.
The operation was executed by a dedicated team comprising officers from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) and Air Customs Unit (ACU) of Nagpur Customs. This team, led by Superintendent Tridip Pal and Inspector Prabal Kumar, received guidance and support from Assistant Commissioners V. Suresh Babu (ACU) and V. Lakshmi Narayana (AIU).
Investigations are currently underway to unveil the broader network of gold smuggling activities in Nagpur, which has been increasingly identified as a hub for such illicit activities.