Four Arrested for Gold, Currency Smuggling at Chennai

Four people were arrested in two separate smuggling cases at Chennai International Airport after customs officials seized gold and foreign currency worth several crores of rupees.

According to officials, a total of 940 grams of gold worth about ₹1.37 crore and foreign currency worth ₹2.73 crore were recovered during checks at the airport. The seizures were made during routine inspections carried out by the customs department to prevent illegal transport of valuables.

In the first case, customs officers stopped a passenger who had arrived from Dubai on Tuesday. During questioning and checking, officials suspected that he was carrying something illegally. After a detailed examination, they discovered that he had hidden three balls of gold paste inside his body. The gold paste was later extracted and converted into 24-carat gold, weighing 940 grams. The value of the gold was estimated at ₹1.37 crore. The passenger was immediately arrested.

In the second case, officials intercepted three other passengers who were trying to smuggle a large amount of foreign currency without proper declaration. The currency, valued at ₹2.73 crore, was seized. Carrying such a large amount of foreign exchange without permission is against customs rules.

All four accused have been arrested and further investigations are underway. Customs authorities said they are keeping a close watch at airports to stop smuggling activities and warned passengers against trying to carry gold or money illegally.