PUNE: The Customs officers at the Pune airport intercepted a passenger arriving by Spice Jet from Dubai on Wednesday and recovered rhodium plated gold pieces worth Rs 17.57 lakh.
The passenger had concealed the gold in fancy hair clips, hair bands and key chains in his checked-in luggage. He was identified as Mohammad Irfan Shaikh of Trombay, Mumbai. He was on a tourist visa to Dubai.
Bharat Nawale, Deputy Commissioner of Customs, Pune airport, said, “Irfan Shaikh arrived by Spice Jet flight number SG 52 from Dubai to Pune airport. He attempted to go through the Green Channel. However, the customs officers noticed his suspicious movement.
The officials thoroughly examined his entire luggage. When the corrugated box was opened, some metallic pieces were verified by the government valuer as rhodium plated 24k gold, weighing 566.78 grams and valued at Rs 17.57 lakh.”
ILLEGAL IMPORT OF CIGARETTES
The customs officials at Pune airport nabbed a Chennai-based passenger arriving by Air India flight number IX 212 on Tuesday for illegally importing branded cigarettes ‘Gudang Garam’. The passenger, identified as Jumma Khan, illegally imported 76,000 sticks of Gudang Garam worth Rs 10 lakh. He refused to pay customs duty. The cigarette packets had no health warning. Though some packets had warnings, it did not meet the Supreme Court guidelines.