Kolkata: The Air Intelligence Unit of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here has seized $1,55,000 valued at Rs 1,05,40,000 concealed in cardboard boxes, from two passengers, the Commissioner of Customs (Airport) said on Wednesday.
The seizure was made at around 11 pm on Tuesday and the two passengers were arrested soon after it, a release by the airport said. The two men were scheduled to depart for Bangkok by a Bhutan Airlines flight, it said. Six cardboard boxes had been carried in by the men as checked-in baggage.
Their response that they were carrying biscuits intrigued the AIU sleuths. On examination, the US dollars were found packed in the boxes, AIU sources said. It is being suspected that the two men were couriers and the money was being taken as part of a hawala racket, they said. The foreign currency was seized under the Customs Act and an investigation into the incident is in progress, the release added.
The names and nationality of the arrested were not released by the AIU. The duo was produced before the Barasat court today and remanded to judicial custody till July 31.
On January 10 this year, two passengers were apprehended while trying to smuggle out 2,28,500 euros concealed inside the soles of their sandals. Again on May 15, 44,000 euros were seized from another passenger who was trying to smuggle out the foreign currency in the form of rectal concealment.
In yet another incident on May 21, two passengers were apprehended while trying to smuggle out 55,000 euros concealed inside pointed gourds, the release added.
