New Delhi: Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport intercepted a major smuggling attempt on Tuesday, seizing undeclared luxury items and foreign currency valued at ₹5.42 crore. The passenger, a woman traveling on a US passport, was apprehended at Terminal 3 following her arrival from Hong Kong.
The detection occurred after customs officers flagged the passenger for a suspicious baggage X-ray. A subsequent physical examination of her luggage revealed a massive haul of high-value goods hidden among personal belongings. The seized inventory included:
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Jewelry: 1.2 kg of gold and diamond-studded items.
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Luxury Watches: Timepieces from elite brands including Rolex, Bvlgari, Chopard, and Cartier.
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Silverware: Approximately 10 kg of silver utensils.
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Currency: A mix of foreign banknotes totaling $9,084 USD, €605 Euro, and $2,540 Hong Kong Dollars.
Notably, officials found an additional 552 grams of gold items on her person; however, these were determined to be domestically procured and were not included in the seizure.
The passenger was arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962, after failing to declare the items to authorities upon arrival. Under Section 110 of the same Act, the goods which were imported in violation of statutory provisions—were formally confiscated.
This arrest highlights the heightened vigilance of the IGI Customs department regarding high-value smuggling routes from international trade hubs like Hong Kong. Investigations are currently ongoing to determine if the passenger is linked to a larger smuggling syndicate.
