MUMBAI: Two Indian passengers, who arrived from Singapore, were arrested at the Mumbai International airport for allegedly trying to smuggle gold collectively valued at Rs7.294 million, a customs official said.
Khambar Abbas, 31, and Mohammed Thamil,24, who arrived by the same flight of Singapore Airlines, denied acquaintance with each other, though investigators suspect otherwise. Abbas and Thamil were intercepted and screened due to suspicious behaviour and their luggage was checked.
Abbas was found carrying a 1-kg gold bar and 332.48 grams of other gold items worth Rs36.33 lakh, while a 1kg gold bar and another piece of gold weighing 342.72 grams worth Rs36.61 lakh was recovered from Thamil.
The two were seated next to each other on the Singapore Airlines flight, officials said, adding that they had departed from Chennai for Singapore. Both were arrested under relevant sections of the Customs Act and later granted bail, the official said.