Nagpur: The Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport at Sonegaon made headlines once again as the Customs Department achieved a significant breakthrough by intercepting a substantial haul of smuggled gold. In a well-timed operation coinciding with the commencement of the 10-day Ganpati Festival, the Customs Department confiscated one of the largest quantities of pure gold ever seized, with a market value estimated at Rs 87.14 lakh.
Acting on credible information, a vigilant team from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) stationed at the airport meticulously screened two passengers arriving via Qatar Airways early on Tuesday morning. These passengers, both Indian passport holders hailing from Hubli, Karnataka, had traveled from Qatar on Qatar Airways Flight No QR-590 on September 18, attempting to transport the gold in a concealed paste form.
Today’s Rate
Tuesday 12 Nov. 2024
In an attempt to evade detection, the duo concealed the gold within their luggage. However, the AIU team, armed with precise intelligence, subjected their baggage to a thorough scan, successfully uncovering the concealed consignment. The operation yielded a total of 1697 grams of 24-carat fine gold, valued at Rs 87.14 lakh, according to a statement issued by the Customs Department. The two passengers had tried to smuggle the gold into India to avoid paying customs duties. Further investigations are currently underway, as per the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
The successful operation was conducted by the dedicated teams of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) and Air Customs Unit (ACU) of Nagpur Customs, led by Superintendent Tridip Pal and Inspector Prabal Kumar, under the guidance of Assistant Commissioners V Suresh Babu (ACU) and V Lakshmi Narayana (AIU). The entire operation was carried out under the supervision of Commissioner of Customs Avinash Thete and overseen by Additional Commissioner Peeyoush Bhati.
Notably, the Sonegaon Airport has recently become a hotspot for gold smuggling activities originating from the Middle East. Previously, several gold seizures were linked to Air Arabia flights arriving from Sharjah. This recent incident marks the first instance of smugglers attempting to bypass authorities using a Qatar Airways flight. However, the Customs Department’s robust intelligence network effectively thwarted the smugglers’ well-devised plans.
