A Dubai couple has been nabbed at the Surat International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle 28kg of gold paste hidden under their apparel into the nation, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) announced in a release on Tuesday.
The Gujarati couple had arrived at the airport on an Air India Express flight from Dubai.
“The duo — Gujarati residents — caught the officer’s attention due to their unusual walking pattern and slight bulges around the abdominal area, which didn’t match the natural body contour,” the statement said.
The CISF staff then informed a customs duty officer, who then searched the couple.
“The couple was both dressed in traditional attire – the man in a shirt and trousers, and the woman in a salwar suit. A total of 28 kg of gold paste was found expertly strapped around their midsections and upper torsos — 16 kg with the woman and 12 kg with the man. Based on concentration levels of the paste, officials estimate the pure gold yield to be over 20 kg. This is likely the biggest gold haul in the airport’s history,” an official aware of the matter said.
Indeed, Customs has already recovered gold of 30 and 40 kg weight from unclaimed luggage in the cargo area.
