Gold seized from passenger at Kochi airport.

KOCHI: Customs officials on Thursday seized one kg of gold from a passenger who arrived from Dubai at Cochin International Airport. The passenger has been identified as Abdul Kareem of Wayanad.

The gold biscuits, cut into two and concealed in his sandals, are valued at about Rs 30 lakh. Kareem had come by Spice Jet Airlines flight and customs officials grew suspicious after they noticed that he had left for Dubai only on December 10. "A passenger has to stay abroad for at least six months to import one kg of gold legally and the duty amount has to be paid in convertible foreign exchange,'' customs deputy commissioner S A S Navaz said.

The passenger was later released on bail. Navaz said this was the first gold seizure at the airport this month.

"The month saw the highest quantity of legal import of gold - 126.64 kg - through the airport. The duty collected was Rs 4 crore,'' he said.

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com