Second Major Gold Smuggling Bust at Visakhapatnam International Airport

Second Major Gold Smuggling Bust at Visakhapatnam,Gold Smuggling Bust at Visakhapatnam International Airport,Gold Smuggling on Rise at Vizag Airport,Mango News,Latest Breaking News,Visakhapatnam Today News

On Thursday, customs officials at the Visakhapatnam International Airport detained a person who was allegedly smuggling gold, making this the second big bust this week.

The man a native of Kerela was identified as Lathief Veerankunhi. He had traveled to Dubai to buy the gold and traveled back to Visakhapatnam from Colombo.

After Lathief was arrested, the officials seized 350 grams of gold worth Rs. 10.6 lakhs. The officials also seized a few packs of imported cigarettes.

The gold was in thin strips and Lathief tried to smuggle them in his bag.

Earlier this week, 18 gold biscuits were removed from the stomach of a Sri Lankan national who tried smuggling the gold into the country. The gold weighing 347 grams was worth Rs. 10.56 lakhs.

The news came after the Air Intelligence Unit received intelligence inputs and intercepted the accused.

Abdul Razak confessed to having 18 gold biscuits hidden in his stomach and rectum.

The accused removed four of the biscuits on his own and the rest were removed by a doctor at King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam.

A customs officer was quoted saying, “Unless we have some prior intelligence inputs, it is not an easy task to stop a foreign national who declares to proceed through the green channel, as it might snowball into a diplomatic crisis. It is a split second decision coordinated with concrete intel inputs.”

A senior official of Visakhapatnam Customs Commissionerate said, “The smuggling of gold in electronic gadgets, shoes and toys are old practices. Now the passengers are using their abdomen and rectums to bring the gold illegally. According to sources, the gold business in north Andhra region and parts of Odisha has been increasing. Some of the traders are bringing the yellow metal illegally by using agents. Though the practice is dangerous still the smugglers are choosing the human bodies.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here