Over one kg gold "concealed" under a seat in an aircraft was today seized at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here and one person arrested in this connection, customs officials said.
Customs Officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), intercepted a passenger, who arrived from Dubai by an Air India flight.
After checking his baggage and body with metal detectors, the officers found no contraband goods in his possession.
The officers found that the passenger was a native of western Uttar Pradesh and a frequent traveller from Gulf countries to different parts of India, a customs release said.
Based on his travel activities, the officers got a suspicion that the passenger might be involved in illegal activities and started enquiring about his purpose of visits from Gulf countries to Hyderabad and to other airports in the country.
"On persistent questioning, the passenger confessed that he has concealed gold bars under a seat in the aircraft," the release said.
Two packets containing ten bars and cut pieces (of gold) totally weighing 1.224 kg was found under the seat, it said.
The man confessed that some smuggler in Dubai gave him the gold for which he was paid Rs 50,000, the release said.
He was only instructed to carry it to Hyderabad and then conceal it under some specific seat in the aircraft the passenger told the officials, it said.
According to the release, the passenger also said that from Hyderabad another person would board the aircraft and take the gold to Delhi via Visakhapatnam domestic route, hoodwinking customs officials and avoiding detection and payment of customs duty.
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