2 Indians coming from Sharjah held on smuggling charges

New Delhi: Two Indian passengers, who returned from Sharjah, have been arrested at the IGI airport here for allegedly trying to smuggle foreign-origin cigarettes and gold in paste form by concealing it in their undergarments, an official said on Saturday.

On the basis of profiling, the two Indian passengers, who came from the city in the UAE on Thursday, were intercepted at Terminal-3 of the airport, the office of the commissioner of customs said in a statement.

After searching the passengers and their baggage, 636 ‘dandas’ of foreign-origin cigarettes valued at Rs 9,54,000 and gold, weighing 268 grams valued at Rs 12,20,090, in paste form concealed in their undergarments, were seized, it said.

The gold and cigarettes were seized under sections of the Customs Act, the statement said, adding that the collective offence value is Rs 21,74,090.

The passengers have been arrested and further investigation is underway, it said.