Mangaluru : The Customs officers at Mangalore International Airport seized smuggled gold, cigarettes and foreign currency valued over Rs. 93 lakhs in month of April.

The officers seized contraband gold of above 2.2 kgs which were ingeniously concealed and attempted to be smuggled. In the first case primary gold was concealed in the motor portion of a mixer grinder was recovered while in the second case two cylindrical shape gold rods concealed in battery portion of mobile power banks were recovered. The value of gold seized in these two cases is estimated to be over Rs. 68 lakhs. One pax was also arrested.

On gathering inputs that there is a surge in smuggling of foreign currency by passengers departing to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the officers kept special watch on movements of certain profiled passengers. This resulted in six seizures of foreign currency attempted to be smuggled out of India equivalent to INR 22.88 lakhs.

Further five cases of smuggling of cigarettes of various foreign brand valued over Rs.2.44 lakhs were detected and the contraband seized.

Investigations are in progress.