Mohali: The customs department has decided to check baggage of passengers travelling from Dubai to Chandigarh in flight in a bid to tighten the noose around gold smugglers.
Since international flights have been introduced, the airport has become a favourite of smugglers with a number of gold seizures. On Friday, a joint team of air intelligence of customs department and baggage officers arrested a passenger from Dubai for smuggling 2.92 kg gold, valued Rs 80 lakh, hidden in a vacuum cleaner. It was the biggest haul at the airport.
The checks will begin from Monday, when the next flight operates. Indigo and Air India run the flights to Dubai.
One of the officers in the customs department said, "The in-flight checking will become a regular affair. It will be undertaken once the international flight enters Indian airspace."
The customs department has claimed to have foiled 20 attempts to smuggle gold, cigarettes and banned liquor at the airport. "International operations started in 2016 only. The smugglers are trying different ways to smuggle gold. The customs department is alert and making all-possible effort to prevent such activities," said the official.
10/12/17 Barinderji Saluja/Times of India
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Since international flights have been introduced, the airport has become a favourite of smugglers with a number of gold seizures. On Friday, a joint team of air intelligence of customs department and baggage officers arrested a passenger from Dubai for smuggling 2.92 kg gold, valued Rs 80 lakh, hidden in a vacuum cleaner. It was the biggest haul at the airport.
The checks will begin from Monday, when the next flight operates. Indigo and Air India run the flights to Dubai.
One of the officers in the customs department said, "The in-flight checking will become a regular affair. It will be undertaken once the international flight enters Indian airspace."
The customs department has claimed to have foiled 20 attempts to smuggle gold, cigarettes and banned liquor at the airport. "International operations started in 2016 only. The smugglers are trying different ways to smuggle gold. The customs department is alert and making all-possible effort to prevent such activities," said the official.
10/12/17 Barinderji Saluja/Times of India
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