Two men have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold, worth over Rs 78 lakh, by hiding it in papaya at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Monday.
The passengers, residents of Punjab’s Gurdaspur, were intercepted by the custom officials while they were crossing the green channel at terminal 3 of the IGI airport after their arrival from Bangkok, reports The Times of India.
“Detailed examination of their baggage and personal search was conducted which resulted in recovery of gold weighing 2.6 kgs concealed in a papaya fruit carried in hand carry bag having value of Rs 77.65 lakh,” Govind Garg, Deputy Commissioner of the customs at the IGIA, said on Monday.
The gold was seized and the passengers were arrested, he said.
Garg told The Indian Express that the accused had placed the gold inside the papaya by cutting out a slice and then putting it back in place using transparent adhesive.
Sources revealed that the accused were working as gold carriers and were selling the goods procured from Bangkok to their costumers, including jewellers, in India.
Officials are now probing the involvement of a bigger syndicate in the smuggling and are questioning the duo about the place/person they were supposed to deliver the smuggled gold to, reports TOI.
(With PTI inputs)
(Feature image source: Representational Image/Reuters)