Gold seized from Singapore citizen at Trichy Airport

TRICHY : Customs officials at the Trichy Airport seized 12kg of gold from a 55-year-old man who arrived here in a Tiger Airways flight from Singapore on Saturday night.
Officials said S Tamilselvan, 55, a Singapore citizen, arrived on a tourist visa. Customs officials caught Tamilselvan during the screening of passengers. On interrogation, officials found 12 gold bars hidden in the sole of his shoes, safety pockets and shirt.The worth of the seized gold is estimated to be around Rs 33 lakh.
During the enquiry, officials found Tamilselvan was befriended by a group of men while boarding the flight. They had given him the consignment and had asked him to deliver to a person who would be waiting outside the Trichy Airport. The group has also revealed the identity of the person.
Tamilselvan is working as a chef in Singapore. The group has promised him to pay money after he delivers the consignment. Tamilselvan was handed over to the Airport police for further interrogation.
The Trichy Airport has witnessed at least five incidents of gold smuggling in this week alone, with Saturday's incident being the huge haul.