Pune: Customs officers caught passengers carrying gold worth
Rs 21.76 lakh and saffron worth Rs 1 lakh illegally at Pune airport. These two passengers were travelling in a Jet Airways flight from Abu Dhabi 9W 513 and Spice Jet flight number SG 52 from Dubai respectively on Wednesday morning.

The passengers were identified as Nikhat Zainuddin Shaikh and Romana Zubair Shaikh. Nikhat Shaikh was travelling in a Jet Airways flight and Romana arrived by a Spice Jet flight.

Bharat Nawale, Deputy Commissioner, Customs, Pune airport, said, “During personal search and detailed examination of checked in baggage of two passengers, raw gold weighing 699.84 grams of value
Rs 21,76,502 and 2 kg of saffron valued Rs 1 lakh approximately was recovered.”

“The total recovery of gold was in form of 8 raw gold bangles which were concealed inside the inner space of cheap Jaipuri plastic bangles worn under the clothing,” Nawale said.

“All raw gold and saffron recovered from the two passengers was seized under the suspicion that it was attempted to be smuggled in India and hence liable for confiscation under provisions of the Customs Act 1962. In the statement recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act, 1962, the passengers have admitted the possession, carriage, concealment and recovery of the said goods under seizure,” said the official.