Hyderabad: Customs sleuths have stumbled upon a new modus operandi of gold smugglers who travel as domestic passengers in Air India's international flights with multiple domestic stoppages to smuggle the yellow metal. Customs officials busted two such gangs and seized 4.5 kg gold from their possession in the past fortnight.
Air India is the only operator permitted by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take domestic passengers aboard an international flight and continue the domestic leg of journey along with international passengers without changing the flight number.
On March 8, Doubic Ali had boarded AI 952 from Dubai to Visakhapatnam via Hyderabad with 2.1 kg gold biscuits bought in Dubai. When the flight landed at RGIA, Hyderabad, four of Doubic Ali's associates__ Mansur Ali, Syed Mohammed Khasim, Nayeem Mohammed and Sabul Hamid__boarded the flight. At Visakhapatnam airport, before entering the customs check area, Doubic and his associates went to washrooms where Doubic distributed gold biscuits. The gold was concealed by Doubic's associates in their rectum.
14/03/14 Mahesh Buddi/Times of India
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Air India is the only operator permitted by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take domestic passengers aboard an international flight and continue the domestic leg of journey along with international passengers without changing the flight number.
On March 8, Doubic Ali had boarded AI 952 from Dubai to Visakhapatnam via Hyderabad with 2.1 kg gold biscuits bought in Dubai. When the flight landed at RGIA, Hyderabad, four of Doubic Ali's associates__ Mansur Ali, Syed Mohammed Khasim, Nayeem Mohammed and Sabul Hamid__boarded the flight. At Visakhapatnam airport, before entering the customs check area, Doubic and his associates went to washrooms where Doubic distributed gold biscuits. The gold was concealed by Doubic's associates in their rectum.
14/03/14 Mahesh Buddi/Times of India
