Ahmedabad customs intercepts passenger who swallowed 135g of gold to smuggle

AHMEDABAD: Ahmedabad Customs’ Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted a passenger arriving from Abu Dhabi on Saturday for attempting to smuggle gold by swallowing it, officials said.The passenger, identified as Sharukh, arrived on Air Arabia flight 3L 111 on February 19. According to officials, the interception was carried out based on APIS profiling. During questioning, Sharukh admitted that he had concealed items inside his body. Following an order from the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ahmedabad, he was admitted to Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, for detection and further investigation. Medical examination revealed that the passenger had swallowed three cylindrical yellow capsules and one steel-coloured spherical ball, which were later retrieved during a stool pass. The Government Valuer confirmed that the three cylindrical capsules contained 135.2 grams of 24-carat gold, with a market value of approximately Rs 21.89 lakh. The fourth capsule was found to be made of ferrous metal. The gold and the non-precious metal were seized under the Customs Act, 1962, as the items were attempted to be smuggled into India without declaration. This operation highlights Ahmedabad Customs’ strict vigilance against attempts to bring undeclared valuables into the country.