Vijayawada: Customs seize gold worth Rs 40 lakh

Vijayawada: Customs officials seized 800 grams of gold worth Rs 40 lakh illegally smuggled from Sharjah to Vijayawada in a flight.

According to the customs department, three passengers came from Sharjah to Gannavaram airport by flight No IX 976 concealing the gold at rectum. The gold powder was covered with wax. When the three passengers arrived, officials suspected some foul play and conducted a proper inquiry.

The passengers admitted that they smuggled gold. They used wax to cover the gold powder and concealed at rectum. Three passengers of Thane, Mumbai came to Vijayawada for the first time for gold smuggling.

Andhra Pradesh customs (preventive) commissioner Sadhu Narasimha Reddy congratulated customs assistant commissioner Donepudi Madhubabu and other officials. The gold smugglers are adopting innovative tactics to smuggle the foreign gold into Andhra Pradesh.

On October 15, the customs officials seized gold articles weighing 1.40 kg valued at Rs 80 lakh from two women passengers at the Gannavaram airport. The two passengers came to Gannavaram Airport from Sharjah wearing gold articles.