Malappuram: Gold utensils weighing two kilograms and valued at Rs.60 lakh were seized from a passenger who arrived from Jeddah at the Calicut International Airport at Karipur on Saturday morning. Mohammed Navas, hailing from Puthukode near Ramanattukara, had in his possession three tumblers and four spoons made of gold, but coated with silver.
On X-ray examination, the Customs authorities noticed the difference in shape and size of the utensils. Navas was arrested and produced before court. On Friday, two women, including an airhostess, were arrested at the airport for carrying six kilos of gold on their bodies.
A huge quantity of gold is suspected to have been smuggled in through the Karipur airport in the past six months after tighter restrictions were imposed by the Union government on legal import of gold. With the curbs, legal import through Karipur airport, which earlier used to import 200 kg a month, had almost come to nil. With the demand for gold remaining high in Malabar, gold suppliers soon turned to smuggling.
10/11/13 The Hindu
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On X-ray examination, the Customs authorities noticed the difference in shape and size of the utensils. Navas was arrested and produced before court. On Friday, two women, including an airhostess, were arrested at the airport for carrying six kilos of gold on their bodies.
A huge quantity of gold is suspected to have been smuggled in through the Karipur airport in the past six months after tighter restrictions were imposed by the Union government on legal import of gold. With the curbs, legal import through Karipur airport, which earlier used to import 200 kg a month, had almost come to nil. With the demand for gold remaining high in Malabar, gold suppliers soon turned to smuggling.
10/11/13 The Hindu
