Busting a novel method of gold smuggling, sleuths from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) found gold bars weighing 5.248kg taped to the underside of a seat cushion in the economy section of an international airliner.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the Bengaluru Zonal Unit intercepted a passenger who disembarked from a flight which landed from Abu Dhabi around 3.25am Thursday . Officials found 45 bars of gold, each weighing 116 gm, estimated to be worth over Rs 1.65 crore.
"We had specific information about a middle-aged man bringing in a large number of gold bars from Abu Dhabi and that he would hide the bars in the aircraft," added an investigating officer whose team apprehended the suspect, a 50-year-old from Kodagu district.
The suspect led the DRI team to the economy class of the aircraft, and under one of the seats was a meticulously sealed package taped to the cushion, which could easily evade detection.
"Our personnel removed it to find 45 gold bars each weighing 116 grams. A thorough inspection of the rest of the seating area in the aircraft was carried out and the suspect was arrested," the DRI official said. The man was remanded in judicial custody later.
Investigators learnt the suspect, acting as a carrier for the smugglers, was ordered to leave immediately after landing. He had possibly pasted the package under the seat when the carrier was dimly lit, and other passengers were asleep.
"We suspect the role of some airport staff who would have been assigned to remove the smuggled gold from the seat, and later hand them over to the member of the smuge gling ring. Most airport staff have separate entry and exit points in KIA, with every basic frisking r measures. A probe is under way ," a senior DRI official added.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the Bengaluru Zonal Unit intercepted a passenger who disembarked from a flight which landed from Abu Dhabi around 3.25am Thursday . Officials found 45 bars of gold, each weighing 116 gm, estimated to be worth over Rs 1.65 crore.
"We had specific information about a middle-aged man bringing in a large number of gold bars from Abu Dhabi and that he would hide the bars in the aircraft," added an investigating officer whose team apprehended the suspect, a 50-year-old from Kodagu district.
The suspect led the DRI team to the economy class of the aircraft, and under one of the seats was a meticulously sealed package taped to the cushion, which could easily evade detection.
"Our personnel removed it to find 45 gold bars each weighing 116 grams. A thorough inspection of the rest of the seating area in the aircraft was carried out and the suspect was arrested," the DRI official said. The man was remanded in judicial custody later.
Investigators learnt the suspect, acting as a carrier for the smugglers, was ordered to leave immediately after landing. He had possibly pasted the package under the seat when the carrier was dimly lit, and other passengers were asleep.
"We suspect the role of some airport staff who would have been assigned to remove the smuggled gold from the seat, and later hand them over to the member of the smuge gling ring. Most airport staff have separate entry and exit points in KIA, with every basic frisking r measures. A probe is under way ," a senior DRI official added.