Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi, arrested a man for attempting to smuggle a diamond-studded gold necklace worth ₹6.08 crore after he arrived from Bangkok. The passenger was detained at Terminal 3 on February 12 based on profiling, officials said on Sunday.
According to Delhi Customs, a detailed baggage check and personal search led to the discovery of the high-value jewellery, weighing 40 grams. The necklace, valued at ₹6,08,97,329, has been seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962, while the passenger was booked under Section 104. Further investigation is underway.
Previous Gold Smuggling Cases at IGI Airport
The latest arrest adds to a series of gold smuggling incidents at IGI Airport. On February 5, customs officials intercepted two passengers from Milan and seized gold coins worth ₹7.8 crore. The duo, residents of Jammu and Kashmir, were caught with specially designed waist belts hidden under their clothing, containing 10.092 kg of gold coins.
In another case in December 2024, three Uzbekistani men were caught smuggling over 400 grams of gold hidden inside their bodies. The accused, who arrived from Almaty, Kazakhstan, were found concealing eight irregularly shaped gold pieces in their rectum. Officials grew suspicious due to their unusual behavior and confirmed the smuggling attempt during a personal search.
With increasing instances of gold smuggling, customs officials continue to intensify security measures and passenger profiling to curb illegal gold imports. Investigations are ongoing to identify smuggling networks involved in these cases.
Sources By Agencies
