TN: Foreign currencies worth Rs 13 lakh seized

Chennai, Feb 20: The Air Customs officials seized foreign currencies worth Rs 13.01 lakh, meant for smuggling to Singapore, from a Colombo-bound passenger at the Anna International airport here yesterday.

Talking to newspersons today, Customs Commissioner C Rajan said Tippu Sultan (35), hailing from Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, who came here to board the Singapore-bound Air Lanka flight via Colombo, was intercepted at the security check point.

When questioned about the contents in his baggage, Sultan said it contained only personal belongings. However, the officials noticed that the slippers worn by the passenger was of abnormal size. On cutting open the rubber soles of the high chappals, the officials found the foreign currencies concealed inside specially made cavities and seized them, he added.

The officials, who also examined the mobile phone of the passenger found foreign currencies concealed inside the phone. The currencies were seized, he added.

The foreign currencies, included Euros, US Dollars, UAE and Kuwaiti Dinars, Saudi Riyals and Swiss Francs, Brunei Ringget equivalent to Rs 13,01,652.

Later, he was arrested, Mr Rajan said adding that concealment in chappals were noticed after a gap of about 12 years in the airport here.

UNI