1.1 kg gold seized from air passenger in Coimbatore

Foiling an attempt to smuggle 1.1 kg of gold, customs officials at the airport here today seized a thin strip of the yellow metal from baggage of a Keralite who arrived from Sharjah in the wee hours today.
The seizure was made when the customs officials checked the suitcase of Mohammed Shafi, who arrived here at 4 AM, for a second time after his movements raised suspicion, police said.
They found the thin gold strip kept concealed in the suitcase beading made of iron.
The value of the seized gold was estimated to be Rs 30 lakh, they said adding Shafi, hailing from Kasargode, was handed over to police.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that Shafi was working in a shop in Dubai and the suitcase was given to him by another person for handing it over to a man in his village, police said.