Delhi, October 1: Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport apprehended a passenger attempting to smuggle 200 grams of gold concealed within his phone battery. The incident occurred when the passenger, arriving from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, aroused suspicion due to his inexpensive phone, which seemed incongruous with his appearance.

Upon arrival at Terminal 3, the passenger's phone caught the attention of a Customs Air Preventive officer, News18 reported. Although an initial search yielded no suspicious items, a closer inspection revealed two batteries containing approximately 200 grams of gold. The passenger was subsequently arrested. Delhi: IGI Airport Customs Seize 26 iPhone 16 Pro Max Hidden in Woman Passenger’s Vanity Bag Travelling From Hong Kong.

Gold Smuggling Bid Foiled at Delhi Airport

A senior airport security officer noted that smugglers are increasingly using both international and domestic routes to transport gold. In response, Air Intelligence teams are now being deployed at both international and domestic terminals. Gold Smuggling at IGI Airport: Customs Seize 2 Gold Bars Weighing 200 Grams Concealed in Passenger's Mobile Battery (Watch Video).

In a related incident, a woman passenger travelling from Hong Kong to Delhi flight was intercepted on Tuesday by Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport with 26 iPhone 16 Pro Max, the department reported. The customs department at Delhi's IGI Airport arrested the woman passenger for smuggling the devices concealed in a vanity bag, said officials.

According to officials, the arrest was based on specific intelligence input received by the Customs Department.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2024 03:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).