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Gold worth Rs 33.3 lakh concealed in vaseline, hair gel seized at Chennai airport

Chennai: The Customs officials in Chennai have busted a unique modus operandi of gold smuggling, by seizing gold hidden in vaseline containers and hair gel tubes. In two separate incidents, a total of 635 grams of gold valued at Rs. 33.3 lakh was recovered and seized under the Customs Act.

In the first case, based on intelligence, Jinka Sudhakara, who had arrived from Kuwait via flight KU 1343 was intercepted on suspicion of carrying gold. Examination of his checked-in baggage revealed two small plastic containers of vaseline (petroleum jelly). On further inspection, 16 gold cut bits were recovered from the jelly. 365 grams of gold valued at Rs 19.14 lakh was recovered and seized.

Later, Thamimun Ansari, who arrived from Dubai by Air India Express Flight IX 1644 was intercepted at the exit and his baggage was checked. Among his personal belonging, nine hair gel tubes with the branding ‘Well New Wave’ were found to be unusually heavy. On being cut open, the tubes were found to contain a golden brown, thick paste, suspected to be gold in paste form. On extraction, 270 grams of gold valued at Rs 14.16 lakh was recovered. 

“It is for the first time that we have detected Gold paste in hair gel tubes. This is a new modus operandi,” Rajan Chaudhary, Commissioner, Customs told Zee Media.
 

Source: Zee News