Mangaluru: Officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) nabbed a resident of Kasaragod for attempting to smuggle gold into India at Mangaluru International Airport.

Acting on a tip off that Ahamed Nabeel Gaffoor,21, arriving by Spicejet flight from Dubai to Mangaluru at 6pm on Tuesday was attempting to smuggle gold, the DRI sleuths launched surveillance at MIA, Vinayak Bhat, deputy director, DRI, Mangaluru said.

Once the aircraft arrived, DRI officers identified Gaffoor and intercepted him right at the aircraft door and subjected him to thorough checking. Officers found he was carrying a mobile like item in his front trouser pocket and this item was heavier than usual and sealed from all the sides.

On interrogation, Gafoor admitted that he had concealed 11 tola gold bars of foreign origin inside that mobile pouch.

When DRI officers opened the pouch, they found 7 tola bars of gold of foreign origin (intact) and four tola bars of gold of foreign origin cut into 8 pieces concealed inside using black/silver adhesive tapes in order to avoid detection.

The said gold pieces weighed 1,282 grams in total and were found to be of 24 carat purity. Their current market value was estimated to be around Rs 39 lakh. The officers seized the contraband gold and arrested Gafoor.

Further investigation in the case is under progress, Bhat said.