Air India passenger's refusal of in-flight food raises suspicion, leads to arrest for smuggling gold at Delhi airport

NEW DELHI: An Air India passenger was arrested at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for smuggling gold worth Rs 69 lakh. The passenger's unusual behavior during flight AI 992 from Jeddah to Delhi raised suspicions and ultimately led to his arrest when he admitted to concealing the gold in his body.
The passenger repeatedly refused refreshments offered by flight attendants on the five-and-a-half-hour flight.His initial rejection of water and subsequent refusal of all food and drink was deemed unusual by the flight attendant, who informed the captain. The captain alerted security agencies through Air Traffic Control about the suspicious behavior.
Upon arrival in Delhi, security personnel closely monitored the passenger. He was stopped for questioning as he tried to pass through the Green Customs Clearance Channel. During the interrogation, the man admitted to concealing gold in his rectum. The gold was valued at over Rs 69 lakh and hidden in four oval capsules.
"Approximately 1096.76 grams of gold were recovered from the passenger," stated joint commissioner (Customs) Monika Yadav. "He was arrested under the Customs Act after admitting to smuggling gold from Jeddah."
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Following this case, cabin crew have been instructed to observe passengers who refuse all food and drinks on long flights, suspecting they might be smuggling gold internally.
Earlier, a souvenir shop at Chennai airport was uncovered as a front for a Sri Lankan gold smuggling syndicate. The shop’s owner, a YouTuber named Mohammed Sabir Ali, was arrested for assisting in smuggling 267 kg of gold worth Rs 167 crore over two months.