Hyderabad, July 3 (Maxim News): Based on specific intelligence and with active coordination and cooperation of Hyderabad City Police, South Zone Task force, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Hyderabad, intercepted 14 passengers coming after Umrah trip at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad, Hyderabad at exit gate.
On verification, each of them was found to be carrying Foreign Marked Gold in the form of cut pieces, 24kt kadas and 24kt chains. The 14 passengers are residents of Hyderabad who had arrived by Saudi Airlines Flight No.SV-744 from Jeddah on July 2.
The gold was smuggled into the country by concealing the same on person; they did not have any documents to prove the licit import of the said gold. The total weight of the foreign gold recovered and seized under Customs Act, 1962, is 6.46kg worth around 2.17 cr.
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The Modus Operandi include, poor people who want to go to Umrah were lured by agents by sponsoring the trip at a highly discounted price. While returning, passengers were asked to carry gold.
Later the gold will be collected by someone on the instructions of the agents. They are blackmailed by agents at Jeddah with consequences of penalty or recovery of full charge of Umrah should they not act as per instructions. Further investigation is in progress. (Maxim News)