Karnataka: Rs 1.8 crore worth 3.2 kg gold found in the wash basin of aircraft toilet

Devanahalli (Karnataka): The Bengaluru Customs officials have cracked a case of illegally transporting gold by hiding it in the wash basin of a plane toilet. On October 7, gold was hidden in the wash basin of an IndiGo flight that landed at Devanahalli Kempegowda International Airport from Male, Maldives, for illegal transportation.

The customs officials have seized 3.2 kg gold worth Rs 1.8 crores. When the officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted an inspection of the plane on the basis of information about the illegal transportation of gold, the bag was found hidden in the wash basin of the toilet of the plane. Gold pieces were found in the bag.

The smugglers kept the gold in the wash basin. They travel on the domestic route through this flight from abroad.

Officials said that there was a possibility that a passenger going to another place from the same flight might have taken the gold from there. Customs officials have started the process of tracing the person, who was transporting gold illegally.

In September 2023, two separate incidents of gold smuggling came to light at Mumbai and Pune airports. An Indian family, who came from Singapore hid gold paste worth Rs one crore in their inner garments and diapers of their children. In the second incident, a passenger from Dubai concealed gold capsule worth Rs 33 lakh in the rectum. The incidents happened on September 12 and 11 respectively.