Two arrested with Saudi riyals worth over Rs 35 lakh at Pune airport

Representational Picture

On Thursday, two passengers were arrested from Pune International Airport with Saudi riyals worth over Rs 35 lakh. The two accused were arrested by the customs officials. On Tuesday, the duo were about to board a SpiceJet flight to Dubai when their baggage was searched and the currency was found.

"Both claimed it did not belong to them but was given to them for handing over to somebody in Dubai," the official said. Their statements were recorded and further probe was on, said the official.

In a similar incident, three Indian passengers were held at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi for allegedly carrying foreign currencies collectively valued at Rs 2.30 crore, the Delhi Customs said. The three accused were headed to Bangkok from Delhi airport with the foreign currencies.

"Delhi Customs IGIA seized various Foreign Currency viz USD,AUD,NZD, GBP,EURO,HKD,YEN,NOK,CHF,SAR, OMR,QAR,AED,BHD collectively valued Rs 2.30 cr on 19.5.19 from 3 Indian passengers intending to depart to Bangkok. FC was concealed in their bags. They've been arrested," Delhi Customs wrote on its Twitter handle.

The identities of the accused are yet to be revealed by police. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.

In another incident, an Afghan man was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence at the Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle out foreign currency worth Rs 3.4 crore, an official statement said Sunday. The Afghan national, a resident of Parwan (North Kabul), was intercepted on Saturday at the airport when he was about to depart for Dubai, it said. He was attempting to smuggle out USD 4.5 lakh (equivalent to Rs 3.4 crore) by concealing it inside a musical instrument (harmonium), which had a special cavity for concealment, the statement issued by the DRI said, adding the foreign national has been arrested.

Smuggling of foreign currency from India has seen a spike in the current financial year. On November 1, the DRI had seized foreign currency equivalent to Rs 2 crore at the India Gandhi International (IGI) airport here. Earlier this year, another Afghan national was arrested by the Kochi customs for trying to smuggle out forex worth nearly Rs 11 crore. The Indian customs has made 167 seizures of foreign currency in the current fiscal, till July, with their value equivalent to nearly Rs 54 crore, leading to 73 arrests, the DRI said.

With inputs from PTI

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates