Gold Smuggling Inside Nivea Cream and Tiger Balm Bottles at IGI Airport!
In a remarkable display of vigilance and expertise, the officers of Airport Customs, IGI Airport, Terminal-3, New Delhi, successfully intercepted an elaborate gold smuggling attempt on January 22, 2025.
🌍 The Case in Brief:
An Indian passenger arriving from Riyadh on flight AI 926 (dated January 21, 2025) was stopped based on spot profiling.
🕵️♂️ The Catch:
During the detailed examination of the passenger’s baggage and personal search, officers recovered:
🔸 18 pieces of rhenium-coated strips made of gold
🔸 Total weight: 318 grams
🔸 Concealment method: Hidden inside 4 Nivea cream boxes and 10 Tiger Balm bottles
🔸 Valuation: ₹23,76,471/- (Rupees Twenty-Three Lakh Seventy-Six Thousand Four Hundred Seventy-One Only)
📜 The Law in Action:
The passenger has been booked under Section 132 & 135 of the Customs Act, 1962, for:
🔹 False declaration and concealment of goods
🔹 Attempt to evade customs duty
🔹 Smuggling gold into India
The recovered gold has been seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act on the reasonable belief that it was liable for confiscation under Section 111 of the Act.
💡 Why This Matters:
Smuggling is not just an economic crime; it undermines the nation’s financial security. Thanks to the unwavering dedication of our customs officers, another attempt to bypass the law has been thwarted.
🔍 What’s Next?
Investigations are underway to uncover more details, including potential networks behind this smuggling attempt.
