NRIs with 5 kg gold detained at Bhubaneswar airport

Bhubaneswar: Choosing the Biju Patnaik International Airport to smuggle gold proved costly for three NRIs from Kuala Lumpur who arrived here today.  All the three were detained by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials and 5 kgs gold worth Rs 1.82 crore was seized from their possession. They are being interrogated.

Acting on a tip-off, the sleuths intercepted the trio who arrived on a flight from Kuala Lumpur this morning. “Their behaviour triggered suspicion following which we frisked them and detected the items,” informed an official.

Airport officials shared that smuggling gangs, of late, have been landing at less frequented airports and adopting new strategies to carry illegal gold.

However, the heightened vigil at the Bhubaneswar airport has resulted in seizures of more than Rs 2 crores in the past few months.

On May 4, the customs officials seized 300 grams of gold from a Chennai-based man upon his arrival here from Malaysia.

Similarly, on April 9, the officials seized 700 grams of gold that was being smuggled inside a mixer grinder carried by a passenger from Dubai.

On March 28, three gold bars and 143 gold rings worth over Rs 12 lakh was seized from two passengers hailing from Maharashtra.