Gold worth more than Rs 5 crore seized at Mumbai airport, six Sudanese nationals held

Mumbai: Six Sudanese nationals were arrested for trying to smuggle 12 kg gold worth Rs 5.4 crore following their arrival at the international airport here, an official said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday, he said.

The air intelligence unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs, led by deputy commissioner Manudev Jain, seized the gold from a group of Sudanese passengers, who arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in an Emirates flight from Dubai on Saturday, the official said.

“The accused gathered and attempted to clear the smuggled gold by creating a ruckus to distract the AIU officers. However, the officers in a well-coordinated operation recovered 12 gold bars weighing one kg each that were concealed in a specially-designed belt worn by one of the Sudanese passengers,” he said.

Five other Sudanese, who were hostile and aggressive to divert the attention of AIU officers, were arrested along with the one carrying the gold, the official said.

Six other Sudanese passengers, who added to the commotion by constantly resisting the checking procedure, were sent to their country of origin with a permanent ban from entering India, he said.

The six arrested accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Customs Act and produced in a court, which remanded them in 14-day judicial custody, the official added.