Customs officials at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport have arrested three passengers in two unrelated smuggling cases uncovered within the span of about two weeks, seizing a diamond studded gold bangle worth more than Rs 1 crore and marijuana valued at nearly Rs 5.25 crore. The back to back seizures, spaced roughly a fortnight apart, show how India's busiest airport continues to be used as a transit point for both high value jewellery and narcotics.
A gold bangle draws a customs officer's attention
The first case dates back to August 19. Two passengers of Turkish origin who had flown in from Istanbul were walking through the green channel at the airport when an officer from the Preventive Wing spotted a bangle worn on one of their wrists. The piece stood out immediately, and when the officer asked the duo to produce documents proving its ownership and value, neither passenger could furnish any paperwork. That gap prompted customs staff to detain both travellers for further questioning.
During questioning, officials established that the two had carried the bangle into IGI Airport with the intention of smuggling it into the country. The bangle was subsequently seized. According to customs, the piece was crafted from roughly 750 grams of pure gold, weighed 87.5 grams, and was studded with diamonds weighing around 10 grams, amounting to nearly 50 carats. Its total value was assessed at Rs 1,07,86,301. Acting under the Customs Act, officials seized the bangle and placed both passengers under arrest, with the case now set to proceed through the legal process that follows such seizures.
A trolley bag hiding over 15 kg of marijuana
Under airport rules, the green channel is meant only for travellers who have nothing to declare, and customs personnel routinely conduct random and profile based checks on that channel to catch anyone attempting to bypass duty payments or bring in banned items. Both cases this month played out exactly along that channel, underlining how frequently it is misused to move high value contraband.
The second case surfaced on September 4 at Terminal 3, involving a Malaysian passenger who had arrived from Kuala Lumpur and was attempting to cross the green channel. Officers stopped her after profiling raised suspicion, and a search of her trolley bag left them stunned: hidden inside were 30 polythene pouches containing more than 15 kilograms, precisely 15,015.5 grams, of suspected marijuana. The consignment's value in the international market is estimated at close to Rs 5.25 crore.
Customs seized the narcotics and arrested the woman under various sections of the NDPS Act, whose provisions apply to the possession and attempted trafficking of banned substances of this scale.
Investigators now chase the syndicate trail
With both consignments seized and three arrests made, officials are now working to determine whether the two cases are linked to any local smuggling syndicates operating out of the airport. Such follow up work typically continues for weeks after a seizure of this kind, as agencies cross check travel patterns and known trafficking routes to piece together the network behind each consignment.
