14 repatriated Indians held with gold worth Dh7.7m
32KG OF GOLD SEIZED; THREE OF THEM TRAVELLED FROM RAS AL KHAIMAH, WHILE 11 ARRIVED FROM SAUDI ARABIA
Three Indians, who were repatriated on a charter flight from the UAE on Friday, have been held in the western state of Rajasthan after officials seized gold worth Dh2.2million from them, the government announced yesterday.
They are likely to be placed under arrest along with 11 others, who were repatriated from Saudi Arabia, from whom gold worth Dh5.5million was seized, a statement from government tweeted by the Press Information Bureau in Rajasthan said.
The gold bars were hidden in emergency lamps, photos attached to the tweets showed.
The 14 passengers had arrived at the Jaipur International Airport by two charter flights.
They were intercepted by the customs team of the airport and 31.99 kg of gold valued at Rs.156,759,820 (Dh7.7million) concealed in their baggage was recovered from these passengers.
Three passengers arrived from Ras Al Khaimah by Spice Jet flight and 12 gold bars/ bricks weighing 9.339kg valued at Rs.45,761,100 (Dh2.2million) were recovered from them, the statement said.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed to Gulf News that the flight was chartered by a private company for repatriating its employees.
It is suspected that the passengers were used as carriers to smuggle gold.
The other 11 accused had arrived from Riyadh and 22.6528kg of gold bars, predominantly with Suisse mark, valued at Rs.110,998,720 (Dh5.5million) were recovered from them.
“The said recovered gold bars have been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. The said passengers are being interrogated and are likely to be placed under arrest in terms of section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962,” the statement added.
Dh7.7m is the value of gold seized from the 14 Indian expatriates