Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Airport Customs on Monday arrested a 37-year-old contractual staffer for allegedly trying to smuggle gold valued at Rs 2.66 crore. The said gold was handed over to him by a transit passenger.
According to the AIU sources, on the basis of suspicion, the customs officers intercepted a airport staff S.A. Siddique who was passing through the staff exit point during his duty hours.
"From the personal search of the said staff, the officers recovered six oval shapes pieces containing Gold dust kept in socks, concealed in the underwear of the staff. On confronting Siddique admitted that the said capsules of gold dust was handed over to him by a international transit passenger in a washroom at Departure Area, CSMI Airport," said a Customs official.
Thereafter, a government approved valuer certified the gold having net weight 3000 grams is provisionally valued at Rs. 2.66 crore. "Statement of the accused was recorded wherein he had admitted to have possession, concealment, carriage, non-declaration and recovery of seized gold. In his statement, Siddique also admitted that he was involved in smuggling of gold in lieu of monetary consideration. Accordingly, the accused was placed under arrest on Monday," the official said.
The Customs is now probing about the transit passenger and the receiver of the said consignment.
The AIU Customs in two separate cases on Saturday had seized 5.75 kilograms of Gold valued at Rs 5.10 crore. The gold, which was handed over to them by transit passengers was found concealed in the inner clothes and pocket of the jacket worn by the two contractual workers at the airport.
