Smuggling Unveiled: Mumbai Airport Seizure Operation

The Mumbai Customs department seized over Rs 1.79 crore worth of electronic items, cosmetics, cigarettes, and crude gold from passengers arriving from Dubai. The operation led to the arrest of one individual, emphasizing the department's vigilance and effectiveness in curbing smuggling through diligent passenger profiling.

The Customs department at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has seized a significant haul of smuggled goods, including electronic items, cosmetics, cigarettes, and crude gold valued at more than Rs 1.79 crore. This operation, which occurred between May 1 and 2, resulted in the arrest of one passenger, according to officials.

The Airport Commissionerate of Customs registered two separate cases, targeting individuals who arrived on an Emirates flight. Spot profiling revealed that these passengers were carrying smuggled goods valued at Rs 84.37 lakh, including various electronics and cosmetics, along with cigarettes.

In a separate incident, airport officials recovered eight brown-tape-wrapped packets from the commode in the rear-end lavatories of a SpiceJet flight, containing 695 grams of 24-karat crude gold worth Rs 95.32 lakh. The oppressive vigilance at Mumbai airport underscores ongoing efforts to combat smuggling activities through increased surveillance and passenger profiling strategies.