Customs Busts Gold-Smuggling Syndicate at Chennai Airport

Chennai:

Port Wings News Network:

Acting on specific intelligence, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Chennai Customs, intercepted an Indian male crew member of Emirates flight EK-544 which arrived at the Anna International Airport, Chennai from Dubai at 8 AM on 09 December 2025.

On thorough examination, the crew member was found wearing three velcro bands around his chest and waist. These bands contained ten packets of gold paste packed in white paper. Upon extraction, 9.46 kg of 24-carat gold worth Rs.11.5 Crore was recovered from the paste, and the same has been seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

In a swift follow-up action, four individuals including three receivers and one passenger who assisted in smuggling the contraband were apprehended in a hotel near the Airport. All the persons involved in the smuggling attempt have been produced before the Judicial Magistrate of the Special Court for Customs for judicial custody. Further investigation is underway. This seizure highlights the heightened vigilance of Chennai Customs, working relentlessly to curb smuggling through International Airports, protecting the economic frontiers of the nation.