Authorities at the Indira Gandhi International airport have arrested two men who were allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold, worth about Rs 78 lakh, by hiding it in papaya.
The accused were intercepted at the green channel by the custom officials after their arrival from Bangkok by flight TG315. The passengers, who held Indian passports, arrived at terminal 3 of the IGI airport on Sunday.
The owner of the gold handed over the fruit to his accomplice and asked him to pass through the green channel, avoiding the red channel. But he failed to pass and was intercepted by customs.
Both accused are being questioned about where they were supposed to deliver the smuggled gold.
"Detailed examination of their baggage and personal search was conducted which resulted in recovery of gold weighing 2.6 kgs concealed in a papaya fruit carried in hand carry bag having value of Rs 77.65 lakh," Govind Garg, Deputy Commissioner of the customs at the IGIA, said on Monday.
The gold was seized and the passengers were arrested, he said.
"The recovered gold was seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962 and both the passengers were arrested in terms of Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962," another official said.
