Bhubaneswar: Customs officials of Air Intelligence Unit at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here Saturday seized gold weighing 249.350 grams, valued at Rs 7.91 lakh, from a passenger arriving from Bangkok. He has been detained under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
This is the second such seizure in three days by the Customs at BPIA here, a press note released by Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Shashi Bhusan, read.
As per the press note, “Officers of Air Intelligence Unit of Customs at BPI Airport, Bhubaneswar thwarted yet another attempt of smuggling of gold through Bhubaneswar airport.”
“Acting on spot intelligence, officers of Air Intelligence Unit intercepted one passenger of Indian origin, hailing from Mohali in Punjab, who arrived from Bangkok by Air India flight AI-339 June 16,” the press note informed.
Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) wing had June 14 seized gold of foreign origin, weighing 355.120 grams valued at Rs 11,37,094, and rounded up a
passenger hailing from Kozhikode in Kerala. He had arrived
from Bangkok by Air India flight AI-339.
Several incidents of gold smuggling have been reported ever since the first international flight took off from BPIA here April 26 last year.
Gold bars worth Rs 9.6 lakh were recovered from a passenger May 4, and three days later another passenger was caught for carrying multiple gold bars weighing 5.82 kg worth around Rs 1.8 crore.
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