Custom officials seize gold worth Rs 23.85 lakh at Pune airport

Custom officials at the Pune International Airport, on Wednesday, seized gold worth of Rs 23.85 lakh concealed in a talcum powder tin and a thermos flask.

One person was detained in connection with the same, and has been identified as Imadadhusen Motimiya Kadri (52), a garment merchant and a resident of Gujarat.

Vasa Seshagiri Rao, commissioner Custom informed, "Kadri runs a garment business in Gujarat and had flow to Dubai last week to purchase new varieties of burkhas and other dress materials. Kadri arrived in Pune from Dubai from SpiceJet in the wee hours of Wednesday. During inspection of the bag, we noticed the talcum powder, and on opening the tin, we found gold hidden in it."

He added, "Later, our team inspected his belonging and found a novel modus operandi adopted by him. He had hidden gold in the inner lining of the thermos flask as if it was the silver foil in the thermos flask. Together, we have recovered around 882.29 grams of gold, the estimated worth of which is Rs 23,85,907. Further investigations are on in the matter."

Two days back, Inspector (Custom) Suresh Sonawane had detained Aziz Ismail Tamboli, a resident of Pune, from the same flight for allegedly carrying two gold biscuits weighing 233.28 gram, valued at Rs 6.29 lakh.