1.1kg gold smuggled in suitcase handle seized in Madurai airport

MADURAI: Customs officials seized 1.1kg gold that was smuggled in a handle of a stroller suitcase carried by a passenger from Singapore to Madurai on Thursday night.
The seizure was based on specific intelligence and the passenger was only engaged as a carrier, customs assistant commissioner A Venkatesh Babu said and added that they have got some leads on for whom he was carrying it.Probe is continuing, he added.
The passenger who has been identified as J Shahul Hameed, 31, of Arupukotai in Virudhunagar district flew from Singapore to Madurai in Air India Express (Flight No.IX 483) around 10.30pm on Thursday. Customs officials said it was not easy to detect the smuggled gold but for the specific information they received as it was meticulously packed in the handle.
After a thorough search of passenger's bag, the officials found two 24 carat gold rods packed in both extendable handle of the stroll suitcase. The rods measured 37cm and 35cm in length, respectively, and little less than a centimeter in thickness to slide through the handle. The rods were also wrapped with black cellophane tapes. Value of the seized gold was pegged at Rs 42,08,600. Shahul Hameed was arrested.
Customs officials said that this year they have seized gold worth nearly Rs 3 crore that was smuggled to Madurai airport.