Officials seize gold worth over Rs 1 crore at airport

Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officials have seized 25 gold bars and two pieces of cylindrical gold rods worth over Rs 1 crore and arrested two Sri Lankan passengers, and intercepted one Indian at the arrival hall of Chhatrapati Shivajii International Airport (CSIA), Mumbai.

The Sri Lankan nationals — Jameer Abdul Wahid (42) and Althaf Sahul Hameed (48) — had concealed the gold bars in their rectums whereas the Indian national, Sayed Noorulameen (26), concealed two pieces of cylindrical gold rods in a juicer machine.

“Both the Sri Lankan nationals were arrested on the intervening nights of April 15 and 16 and they were travelling in the same flight of Emirates Airlines flight number EK 508. They both arrived from Dubai,” said Pradnyasheel Jumle, Deputy Commissioner, AIU, CSIA, Mumbai.

“A personal search of Wahid resulted in the recovery of 13 gold bars weighing 1,516 grams valued at Rs 45.48 lakh. And the personal search of Hameed resulted in the recovery of 12 gold bars weighing 1,399 grams valued at Rs 41.97 lakh,” said Jumle, adding, “They had concealed the gold bars in the rectum of their bodies.”

“Both the passengers belong to the Puthalam district of Sri Lanka. They are frequent fliers to India and are in trading activities in textile material, readymade garments and cosmetics,” said Jumle.

The 26-year-old Noorulameen, resident of Bhatkal in Karnataka, was intercepted at CSIA Mumbai on April 14 on suspicion that he was concealing gold on his person. He arrived from Dubai by Gulf Airways flight number GF 64.

“Upon interception, he was found carrying a handoperated juicer. On breaking open the juicer machine, two pieces of cylindrical gold rods weighing 567 grams valued at Rs 17 lakhs were discovered from the hollow portion of the vertical column fixed to the base of the said juicer machine,” said Jumle.

Further investigations are on.

Sri Lankans Jameer Abdul Wahid, 42, and Althaf Sahul Hameed, 48, concealed the gold bars in their rectums