Two passengers held with gold worth Rs. 2.47 crore at Coimbatore airport

Customs officials seized gold worth around Rs. 2.47 crore from two passengers who allegedly concealed the precious metal inside their undergarments after arriving at Coimbatore International Airport from Singapore.
A Scoot international flight operates between Singapore and Coimbatore. On the night of September 21 at around 10.30 p.m., passengers arriving from Singapore were subjected to intensive checks by the Air Intelligence Unit of the Central Customs Department.
During the inspection, officials noticed the suspicious behaviour of a Singapore national identified as Kesavan and took him to a separate room for detailed examination. Officials found an 835-gram gold chain concealed inside his undergarment and seized it. The international market value of the gold was estimated at Rs. 1.31 crore.
Officials subsequently conducted a detailed check on Veerappan Rangasamy of Velampatti in Thanjavur district, who had travelled on the same flight. He was allegedly found carrying 736 grams of gold jewellery and gold bar pieces concealed inside his undergarment. The seized gold was valued at Rs. 1.16 crore.
The total weight of the gold seized from the two passengers was 1,571 grams. Customs officials said its total value was around Rs. 2.47 crore.
The customs officials arrested both passengers and produced them before the Coimbatore Chief Judicial Magistrate Court.
Following the court’s order, Kesavan, a foreign national, was lodged in Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai, while Veerappan Rangasamy was lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison.The Customs Air Intelligence Unit is continuing its investigation to determine for whom the two passengers allegedly carried the gold and identify the international gold smuggling network suspected to be operating behind the case.