Gold dust, foreign currency, marijuana, worth Rs 22 crore seized at Mumbai airport; 6 arrested

Acting on specific information, two teams of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) kept surveillance on passengers bound for Dubai by flight EK-509. In one case, “officers allegedly recovered foreign currency equivalent to Indian Rs 7.11 lakh which was concealed inside the handbag carried by the passenger.”

In a separate case on the same flight, “foreign currency equivalent to Indian Rs 49.38 lakh” was allegedly recovered from another passenger’s hand baggage. Both were arrested.

Foreign currency was found concealed inside the hand bag carried by the passengers. (Source: Special Arrangement)

In the fourth operation, AIU officials intercepted a passenger from Bangkok on flight SQ-424. “The accused was carrying two big trolley bags and while checking officers allegedly recovered 18.400 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed (Marijuana), with an illicit market value of approximately Rs 18.4 crore.” He was arrested under the NDPS Act.

The fifth case involved a passenger flying to Jakarta on flight 6E-1601. “His bag was checked and foreign currency equivalent to the Indian Rs 19.17 lakh was recovered from his bag which was seized and he was arrested,” customs officials said.

The final seizure involved gold dust. “Officials started searching and found unclaimed gold dust in oval form in the washroom near the immigration clearance counters at Arrival. The net weight of gold dust in oval form was 365 grams and valued at Rs 38.1 lakh. The recovered goods were seized under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 and the agency is trying to find out the accused,” an official added.