Customs arrests 2 for smuggling forex worth over Rs 1 cr at Delhi airport

Two men have been arrested by the customs officials for allegedly trying to smuggle out of the country foreign currencies worth over Rs 1 crore at the Delhi airport.

The accused were following a novel modus operandi to dodge the customs authorities.

In this case, a male passenger, who was about to travel to Bangkok, was followed till the international departure area on suspicion and intercepted when another domestic flight-bound passenger, going from Delhi to Mumbai, handed over two pieces of luggage to him, a press release issued by the customs said today.

Inquiries so far conducted revealed that for illegal export of foreign currency, both the passengers arrived from Mumbai as domestic passengers, it said.

In Delhi, one passenger booked his ticket for Bangkok and cleared all the customs checks, immigration and other security checks and reached the international departure area where the other passenger, who was not subjected to such checks being a domestic passsenger, handed over the bags containing foreign currency which they brought from Mumbai, the release said.

"A detailed personal search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of foreign currency amounting to USD 1,60,000. The said foreign currency was concealed by the passengers in both the bags," the customs department said.

The foreign currency, which has been seized, is equivalent to Rs 1.07 crore, it said, adding that both the men were arrested on Sunday.