Nagpur: In a remarkable operation, the Customs Department at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur has made one of the largest seizures of smuggled gold, valued at approximately Rs 2 crores.
A vigilant profiling of passengers led to the interception of a suspect, Mohammad Ahmed, arriving from Sharjhah via Air Arabia flight no G9-415 at 4:10 AM.
Wenesday Rate
Wed 25 Dec. 2024
Ahmed, holding an Indian passport and originally hailing from Uttar Pradesh, attempted to conceal the illicit gold within a seemingly innocuous coffee maker machine.
Customs officials, under the supervision of Commissioner Avinash Thete, Additional Commissioner Peeyoush Bhati, and led by Assistant Commissioner Charanjeet Singh, initiated a thorough scan of the passenger’s luggage.
Their suspicion heightened, they dismantled the coffee maker machine, revealing two cylindrical-shaped gold pieces, each weighing an impressive 1748 grams.
The Air Customs Unit (ACU) and Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Nagpur Customs, comprising Assistant Commissioner Laxminarayan, Superintendent Tridip Pal, Prakash Kapse, Rajesh Khapre, Inspectors Aditya Bairwa and Priyanka Meena, along with Havaldar Chandu Dhande and Anurag Parihar, successfully thwarted the smuggling attempt.
The apprehended passenger, Mohammad Ahmed, has been placed under arrest, and further investigations are currently underway. This incident marks the second major interception of gold smuggling at Nagpur Customs within the past 10 days, underscoring the relentless efforts of the authorities to curb illicit activities at the airport.
