The accused was intercepted upon his arrival from Hong Kong
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New Delhi: A Chinese national was arrested Wednesday by Customs officials for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valuing about Rs 23 lakh at the Delhi airport.
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The accused was intercepted upon his arrival from Hong Kong.
A detailed personal and baggage search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of one gold chain, gold bar and a gold bracelet, collectively weighing 734 grams, a statement issued by the Customs Department said.
The market value of the gold that has been seized is assessed to be Rs 23.63 lakh, it said, adding that the man was arrested.
Earlier this week, five Kenyan and one Swedish women have been arrested by the customs officials for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 1.78 crore at Delhi airport.
They were intercepted after their arrival from Nairobi, Kenya, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, a statement issued on Tuesday by the customs department said.
A detailed personal and baggage search of the passengers resulted in the recovery of 33 pieces of gold weighing 3.9 kg, assorted gold jewellery weighing about a kilogram and gold granule/dust collectively weighing 1.3 kg -- in all 6.2 kg, it said.
The statement said the market value of the seized gold is Rs 1.78 crore.
The customs officials said six women, five from Kenya and one a Swedish national of Kenyan origin, have been arrested.
It is for the first time that any Kenyan national has been arrested in a gold smuggling case, the officials said.
In another case, an Uzbekistan national was arrested for allegedly smuggling gold and cigarettes worth over Rs 35 lakh, they said.
The accused was intercepted after his arrival from Tashkent on Monday, the officials said.
They said eight gold chains weighing 523 grams and Marlboro brand cigarettes worth Rs 35.6 lakh were seized from his possession.
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