Ahmedabad: Officials of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport on Sunday seized 61 designer and high-value ink pens from an international traveller arriving in the city from Japan. The estimated market value of the seized items is around ₹25 lakh.

According to officials, a male passenger arriving from Japan via Ho Chi Minh City on VietJet flight VJ 1805 was intercepted on April 26 after baggage scanning raised suspicion. Acting on the alert, Customs officers stopped the individual and conducted a detailed examination of his baggage.

During the inspection, officers recovered 61 premium designer pens, believed to be collectors’ items from high-end brands. Preliminary findings suggest that the passenger attempted to smuggle the items into the country without declaring them, with the intent to evade applicable customs duty.

All 61 pens have been seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. While the exact valuation is yet to be finalised due to the unavailability of a chartered engineer, officials estimate each pen to be worth between ₹40,000 and ₹50,000. The total value of the seized consignment is therefore pegged at approximately ₹25 lakh to ₹30 lakh.

Officials added that further investigation is underway to determine the origin, exact valuation, and intended purpose of the undeclared items. The passenger has been detained, and further legal action is being initiated. DeshGujarat