A week-long trip organized by a cement company, meant for its top dealers from Bengaluru to Bangkok, concluded on an unfortunate note due to a smuggling incident. Among the attendees, one dealer hailing from Raichur attempted to smuggle 619g of gold. Additionally, during the early hours of Friday, two Malaysians were apprehended for smuggling nearly 2 kg of gold chains.
The combined value of these seizures is estimated at around Rs 1.57 crore, according to officials. All three individuals have been charged under Section 110 of the Customs Act.
A company from Maharashtra had sent a group of 60 individuals to Bangkok as a reward for meeting their sales targets. The group included both males and families of above-average performers. Based on behavioral observations, customs officials identified suspicious individuals and conducted searches after midnight.
From this inspection, a passenger was found to be wearing a concealed silver-colored Kada, weighing 419g. It was coated with Rhodium, giving it a golden appearance. This 24-carat crude gold was prohibited in India. The same person was also found carrying a crude gold chain weighing 170g in his hand baggage. The total value of these items was assessed at Rs 37 lakh.
The second incident occurred on a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which arrived around 11.50 PM. Two Malaysian nationals, a 37-year-old woman, and her 24-year-old male accomplice, were observed behaving suspiciously. They split up upon approaching the Customs zone. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that they were wearing gold chains weighing a total of 1.3 kg each, resembling dog collars. They also had two crude gold chains in their handbags. The total value of gold confiscated from them amounted to 1.99 kg, valued at Rs 1.19 crore.
