17 hrs ago
Mumbai Airport Customs Arrest Man Over Alleged Vietnam Gold Smuggling
Customs officers at Mumbai airport stopped a passenger arriving from Hanoi.
They searched him after becoming suspicious of his answers.
Officers found seven pouches in his trouser pocket.
The pouches contained gold dust weighing about 1.41 kilograms.
The gold was worth about ₹1.38 crore.
The passenger allegedly admitted possessing and hiding the gold.
He was arrested for suspected involvement in gold smuggling.
A court later sent him to judicial custody while officials investigated further.
Customs officials arrested a 41-year-old Malad resident arriving from Hanoi.
Officials seized seven pouches containing 1.41 kilograms of 24-karat gold dust.
The seized gold was valued at approximately ₹1.38 crore.
The passenger allegedly concealed the gold and denied carrying dutiable goods.
A court remanded the accused to judicial custody as the investigation continued.
- Who
- Mumbai Airport Customs officials arrested a 41-year-old Malad resident identified as P.V. Sharma.
- What
- The officials seized 1.41 kilograms of 24-karat gold dust allegedly being smuggled.
- Where
- The interception occurred at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai after the passenger arrived from Hanoi.
- When
- The passenger was intercepted on Thursday night and arrested on Friday morning; the report is dated September 18.
- Why
- Officials allege the passenger concealed, carried and failed to declare the gold as part of a smuggling operation.
Customs Allegation
Accused’s Legal Position
Nature of the incident
Customs Allegation
Customs officials allege that the passenger acted as a carrier in a gold-smuggling syndicate and failed to declare the gold.
Accused’s Legal Position
The accused was represented by advocates Arun Gupta and Ashish Singh; the report does not provide a detailed public rebuttal to the allegations.
Investigation status
Customs Allegation
Customs said the investigation was at a preliminary stage and that the wider smuggling nexus had not yet been revealed.
Accused’s Legal Position
The accused remains in judicial custody while the investigation proceeds; no further position from his legal team is stated in the report.
Key facts
- Passenger
- P.V. Sharma, a 41-year-old Malad resident
- Origin of journey
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Gold seized
- 1.41 kilograms of 24-karat gold dust
- Estimated value
- ₹1.38 crore
- Concealment method
- Seven pouches found in a trouser pocket
- Arresting agency
- Mumbai Airport Customs, including Air Intelligence Unit officers
- Court action
- The accused was remanded to judicial custody
Quotes
A Customs officer
An unnamed Customs official commenting on the smuggling method and ongoing investigation
“If left unchecked, this modus operandi is likely to be exploited by the smugglers in a big way even to smuggle other contraband items which might be detrimental to national security. This modus operandi is required to be nipped in the bud also to avoid huge financial loss to the exchequer. The investigation in this case is at the preliminary stage and the nexus is yet to be revealed by the accused.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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