26 watches worth 2.5cr in AI flight toilet

Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) found 26 Franck Muller watches worth more than Rs 2.5 crore in the toilet of an Air India flight from Abu Dhabi after it landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport late Monday. The cost of each Franck Muller watch is estimated to be around Rs 10 lakh.
The seizure indicates the revival of a modus operandi that prevailed till the early 1980s where smuggled consignments were concealed in the aircraft toilet and were later collected by a loader or cleaner who would carry it out of the airport premises in dustbins.
The DRI, which had prior information, searched the aircraft after all passengers had disembarked. During the search, DRI officers found the watches in a handbag concealed in the toilet.
Along with the watches, the DRI also found a white chemical in powder form. “This has been sent to a chemical laboratory for tests and identification,” a senior DRI officer said, requesting anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
The DRI suspect that it is a high-value powder. The label on the bottles read ‘anti-cancer’ powder. DRI officers suspect the involvement of an insider who was to collect the consignment after the passengers had left. “It was hidden in the toilet using an old modus operandi,” the officer said.
12/01/11 Manish Pachouly/Hindustan Times

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Categories: Air India - International Jan 2011, Air India Jan 2011, Airports Jan 2011, Foreign Jan 2011