Two passengers who arrived from Riyadh at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport have been booked for attempting to smuggle gold concealed inside chocolate packets. A total of 396 grams of gold was recovered from the duo, according to customs officials.
Incident Details
The passengers arrived at IGI Airport on May 17. During screening at the Green Channel, both individuals were diverted for X-ray examination of their baggage. Upon scanning, customs officials noticed suspicious images inside the chocolate packets carried by the passengers.
The packets were detained on suspicion of containing gold in dust form and were sent for detailed examination and recovery. After furnace recovery, a total of 396 grams of gold with 999.9 purity was recovered from the two cases—200 grams from one passenger and 196 grams from the other.
Legal Action
The recovered gold was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and cases have been booked against the passengers. A customs official confirmed that further investigation is underway to determine the source and intended destination of the smuggled gold.
This incident highlights the continuous efforts of customs authorities to curb gold smuggling through innovative concealment methods. Passengers are reminded that smuggling gold is a serious offense under Indian law and can lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
