Woman air passenger held for trying to smuggle gold bars

A woman passenger has been arrested at the Mumbai international airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 3.84 kgs of gold worth about Rs 94.94 lakh into the country from the UAE, a Customs official said today.
The passenger, Nitaben Desai, holding an Indian passport, was intercepted by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officials on suspicion after she landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport here from Abu Dhabi on an Etihad Airways flight on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, the official said.
A detailed examination of her baggage and personal search resulted in the recovery of 33 gold bars collectively weighing 3.847 kgs. The total value of the seized yellow metal is estimated to be Rs 94.94 lakh, the official said.

The woman had concealed the precious bars in the cavities created in a specially made belt worn by her. She was acting as a carrier for the sender of the gold bars and was supposed to hand them over to a buyer in Mumbai.
The passenger confessed to the crime following which she was arrested under relevant sections of the Customs Act for gold smuggling, the official said adding that further probe was on.