Gold worth Rs 4.62 crore seized at Mumbai airport, one held

Representational Pic. iStock

The Customs Department's Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) apprehended a UAE national, Yaqoob Mohammad Ahmed Alblooshi, for smuggling gold into India. The agency claims to have seized 9 kg of gold, worth Rs. 4.62 crore from Alblooshi at Mumbai airport during a search, custom officials said.

Alblooshi was carrying a UAE passport and had arrived in Mumbai on March 31 via flight number EK 500 from Dubai. He was intercepted on April 1, while trying to leave the arrival hall through the exit gate after passing the green channel, the officials added.

According to the AIU, during the search of his handbag, customs officials found 10 pieces of 24 carat gold bars, with eight pieces weighing 1 kg each, and two pieces weighing 500 grams each, adding up to a net weight of 9 kg. Upon interrogation, Alblooshi confessed to the ownership of the seized gold.

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Customs officials suspect that Alblooshi is allegedly a part of a larger gold smuggling ring, and have requested his custody for further interrogation to break the nexus. They have requested a 14-day remand to corroborate the links and gain more information about the smuggling ring. The customs officials have registered a case under relevant sections 135 (i) (a), 135 (i) (b) r/w 135 (i) of the Customs Act against Alblooshi. He was produced in court on Sunday and remanded in custody, the officials added.