Gold worth 32 crore seized at Mumbai airport: FM hails highest seizure in a single day

Mumbai, Nov 13: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has hailed the alertness of Mumbai Airport Customs who seized 61 kg of gold worth Rs 32 crore in separate operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

"Appreciate @mumbaicus3 for your alertness. Your timely action has borne a stunning outcome. Well done," Sitharaman tweeted.

Five men and two women have been arrested in the seizures that were made on Friday, an official told PTI.

Four Indians, who were returning from Tanzania, were caught with 1 kg gold bars, which were concealed in specially-designed belts with multiple pockets. It was given to them by a Sudanese national at Doha airport.

#WATCH | 61 kg gold valued at Rs 32 crore seized at Mumbai airport. 7 accused including 5 male & 2 female passengers were arrested. The gold bars were concealed on their body in a specially designed belt, having multiple pockets, wrapped around their torso: Mumbai Airport Customs pic.twitter.com/TrGP9Rvx8I

— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2022

Officials recovered 53 kg of UAE-made gold bars, worth Rs 28.17 crore, from the belts that the passengers had worn around their torso, the official said.

The trio, including two women, were carrying gold dust in wax form, he said. The gold was ingeniously concealed in the waistline of the jeans the travellers had worn, according to the report.

One of the women was is in her late 60s and was on a wheelchair, he said, adding that the trio were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.