Customs Officials Seize Over Rs 4.27 Crore in Smuggled Gold and Cigarettes at Ahmedabad Airport Customs authorities at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport intercepted a significant smuggling operation, seizing gold valued at over Rs 4.27 crore hidden inside a speaker box on an IndiGo flight from Dubai. The gold, discovered during a routine inspection of IndiGo Flight 6E-1478, was concealed in a manner that indicated deliberate intent to evade customs regulations. Officials stated the method of concealment suggested the gold was hidden by an unidentified individual with the purpose of smuggling it into India, violating the Customs Act, 1962. The search, conducted by customs officers alongside aircraft engineers, focused on the aircraft’s front lavatory. Inside a speaker box, they found two pouches wrapped in black plastic tape. Upon examination, the officials recovered 24 foreign-origin gold biscuits of 999 purity (24 carat), totaling 2,799.3 grams. The gold’s market value was estimated at approximately Rs 4.27 crore. Since no passenger or crew member claimed ownership of the consignment, the gold was seized as unclaimed property under the provisions of the Customs Act. Further investigations are ongoing to trace the origin of the smuggled items and identify the responsible parties. This seizure follows a similar incident at the same airport, where customs officials intercepted two passengers arriving from Dubai and seized over 1.13 lakh sticks of foreign-origin cigarettes. The passengers, who arrived on an Emirates flight, were flagged after suspicious X-ray images of their checked-in baggage raised concerns. A detailed inspection of their luggage revealed a large consignment of concealed cigarettes.#indi_go #customs_authorities #ahmedabad_airport #sardar_vallabhbhai_patel_international_airport #customs_act_1962
