Mangalore: Smugglers innovate on Ideas; Customs at City Airport Seize Gold worth Rs 34 lac

Media Release

Mangalore, 20 Feb 2014: The officers of customs at Mangalore International Airport (MIA) seized 1 kilograms gold bar and 1 silver-paint-coated circular gold piece totally weighing 1,116.400 grams valued at Rs 34,58,512, which was brought without declaring by concealing inside the watch and further concealed in a bag by the passenger - Muhammed Mustafa Eriyapady Pallindakukkal, who is a resident of Kasargod, Kerala, and arrived at MIA on Wednesday February 19 at about 07.30 hours, by Air India Express (AIE) flight IX 814 from Dubai. The said passenger was arrested and produced before the magistrate.

 

 
This is the first time that customs in MIA has detected a case wherein gold has been concealed in a watch.  The watch was found to be in working condition and the gold was molded to fit perfectly inside the watch below the watch movement to make it appear like a normal watch.