Diamonds worth Rs 1.69 cr seized at Mangalure International Airport

Diamonds worth Rs 1.69 crore have been seized from a Dubai-bound passenger during pre-embarkation security check at the Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), a customs release here said on Sunday.

The CISF personnel intercepted the passenger on Thursday and retrieved two pouches concealed in his underpants on suspicion that they contained precious stones.

The passenger, hailing from Kasaragod in Kerala, was handed over by the CISF to the Customs officers at the airport for further investigation.

The two pouches were found to contain 13 small packets with diamonds of different sizes totally weighing 306.21 carat and were valued at Rs 1.69 crore.

The passenger was arrested and produced before the jurisdictional magistrate who remanded him to judicial custody. Further investigations are in progress, the release said.