Gold worth BD61,600 has been seized from two Indian passengers arriving at Delhi airport on flight GF-134 which originated in Bahrain, according to reports in the Indian media.
A total of 1.94kg of the precious metal was found in the metal linings of a trolley bag.
Teams from the Air Intelligence Unit of Customs affected the seizure on Sunday at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.
A 38-year-old man and a woman, aged 34, have been detained on smuggling charges.
Details released yesterday stated that 15 silver-coloured metal wires were found concealed inside the lining of a trolley bag from the male passenger. The weight of the gold was 1,528gms.
In addition, 420gms of gold was found in the trolley bag of the female passenger in four silver-coloured metal wires concealed inside the lining of bag.
“The total seizure of the gold seized was 1,948gms worth Rs1,41,70,531 (around BD61,600),” Delhi Customs said.
“A case has been booked for smuggling under the relevant provisions of the 1962 Customs Act.
View this post on Instagram
“Further investigations are underway.”
The GDN reported in September last year (2024) that an Indian passenger who arrived in New Delhi from Bahrain was arrested after 931gm of gold worth 64,27,000 Indian rupees (around BD28,971) was found concealed in a vacuum cleaner.
In the past two years, Customs officials, especially in New Delhi and Kerala, have seized tonnes of gold from a number of passengers travelling from Gulf countries.
Variously, the gold has been concealed in paste form, cylindrical-shaped capsules, hidden in luggage and even hidden in capsule form in the smuggler’s rectum.
The price of gold in the Gulf states are lower in comparison to India because of higher taxes and Customs duties.
There is also a growing demand among Indians, especially during the festive season, to buy gold jewellery often viewed as a ‘safe investment’ and for traditional wedding gifts.
As per Customs, an Indian male passenger who has been residing abroad for more than a year is allowed to carry 20gm of duty-free gold in jewellery or bars worth BD240, with any excess subject to Customs duty.
The duty-free gold limits for female travellers is set at 40gm worth about BD520.
Top stories for today:
VIDEO: Bahrain travellers held in India with 1.9kg gold
Government schools may soon offer IB programme
Hawk-eye cameras plan
&uuid=(email))