Gold worth Rs 1.09 crore seized at Mangaluru int'l airport

Customs officials at MangaluruInternational Airport (MIA) on Thursday seized 2.15 kg of goldworth Rs 1.09 crore from two people who arrived on a flightfrom Sharjah.

Based on intelligence and profiling of passengers,Customs personnel intercepted Faizal Thotty Melparamba (37)and Mohammad Shuhaib Mugu (31), both natives of Kasaragod inKerala, a Customs release said.

The two had arrived from Sharjah by Air India flightIX 1384 on Thursday.

When the officials checked the passengers, they foundthe gold, concealed in paste form in underwear.

Over 2.154 kg of gold of 24K purity worth Rs 1.09crore was recovered and seized.

Customs Commissioner Imamuddin Ahmed and JointCommissioner Joannes George congratulated the officers of theairport customs team led by deputy commissioner Praveen Kandiand officers K Shrikanth, Subhendu Ranjan Behera, Naveen Kumarand others for their vigilant action in preventing thesmuggling activity, a Customs release here said.