Mumbai: Fliers caught with gold wrapped around legs

The gold, in wax form, seized from the two women at the Mumbai airport on Wednesday evening

The Mumbai Customs has arrested two women fliers from Dubai who were caught with 2.65 kg of 24-carat gold concealed around their legs. They told the officers that they agreed to smuggle gold worth over Rs 1 crore to get free tickets to Mumbai.

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs arrested the women, cousins from Gujarat, on Wednesday evening. Based on profiling and surveillance, Customs officers intercepted Suriya Nasrinbanu Fesal, 31, and Khadim Farida Umarfaruk after they arrived from Dubai, said sources. "Upon examination, it was found that both the women had wrapped 24-carat gold in wax form around their leg and concealed it with an adhesive bandage-like material underneath their jeans." said Customs officers. The 2.65-kg of seized gold is valued at around Rs 1.39 crore.

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The accused, in their voluntary statements, admitted knowing that bringing gold without paying the customs duty is illegal, but they worked for a person in Dubai and did this for free flight tickets to Mumbai and monetary consideration. "They were supposed to hand over the gold to a man after getting a call from him in Mumbai," an officer said. The Customs officers on Thursday produced them before a holiday court, which remanded the women in judicial custody for 14 days.

The Mumbai Airport Customs told the court, "The investigation in this case is at the preliminary stage, and the name and the nexus revealed by the accused persons are to be verified and corroborated. If the accused are set free, they may flee from the country and would not be available for further investigation, which is required to break the bigger nexus involved in the smuggling activities. Also, if set free, they may influence and tamper with the material evidences related to the smuggling activity and may adversely affect the investigation."

2.65 kg
Weight of the gold that was seized

Rs 1.39 cr
Value of the gold that was seized