Rs 20.24 lakh worth gold plates seized; 2 arrested

: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials here today seized 698 grams of 24 carat gold plates of foreign origin valued at over Rs 20.24 lakh and arrested two persons on charges of smuggling.
The arrested were identified as Haris Panalam Mohammed Kunhi, who had just arrived from Dubai and Faisal, who was trying to receive the gold, an official release said.
The gold was found concealed in a portable wireless amplifier.
The smugglers had melted and molded the gold into thin plates and then cut into shapes of the letters 'E' and 'I'. These gold plates were then found to be coated with mercury and tightly packed to fit into the transformer (coil) portion of the amplifier, it said.

The arrested confessed that they had smuggled the gold for money and free air tickets, the release said, adding, Faisal admitted that he has been involved in similar smuggling operations earlier for commission.
Both persons were arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962 and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mangaluru, who remanded them to 10 days judicial custody.