Two Held For Gold Smuggling At Delhi Airport

New Delhi: Two men, including a ground staff working as telephone operator at a Bharti Airtel booth, have been arrested by the customs for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valued at about Rs 40 lakh.

An official statement said here that a passenger was followed by customs officials after his arrival from Dubai on Friday. The passenger handed over the gold to the airport staff at the arrival hall of the airport, it said.

"A detailed personal search of airport staff resulted in recovery of 1.34 kg of gold wrapped with white colour adhesive tape and concealed in a packet of cigarette of Davidoff gold brand, the statement said.

The gold, valued at Rs 39.81 lakh, has been seized and the duo arrested, it said. In another case, gold worth about Rs nine lakh has been seized from a passenger who had arrived from Dubai today.

The accused had coated gold, weighing about 300 grams, with a white colour and concealed it in hair straightener and in five purses being brought by him, a senior customs official said. The accused is native of Chennai, he said.

PTI