Corporate employee caught smuggling 200g gold at KIA

Bengaluru: Customs officials were in for a big surprise recently when they caught a well-heeled corporate employee attempting to smuggle in 200 grams of gold at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru.
Based on profiling, officers from air intelligence unit (AIU), Bengaluru, intercepted an Indian passenger who arrived from Kuala Lumpur by an AirAsia flight on March 18.He was found carrying a crude gold ornament in the shape of a kada and O-links, which were concealed inside his clothes. The gold kada and O-links — weighing a total of 197.4 grams and worth Rs 12.6 lakh — have been seized.
Sources said the passenger was a salaried employee at a well-known IT and hardware firm. They expressed surprise at the passenger’s decision to partake in this; sources said they haven’t yet seen an individual of such socio-economic standing engage in smuggling activities.
On the same day, another passenger of Indian origin, who arrived from Kuwait by a Jazeera flight, was caught attempting to smuggle gold chains, bangles and pendants concealed inside clothes. He was intercepted based on profiling. The gold chains, bangles and pendants, weighing 197 grams and worth Rs 12.5 lakhs, have been seized.