Ahmedabad: Gadget enthusiasts may get a chance to buy premium Apple devices at competitive prices as the Customs department at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) is set to conduct an e-auction of seized items on May 8. The auction will include 87 iPhones and 27 luxury watches, marking the first such large-scale exercise in nearly a decade.

The auction features iPhone models from the 11 to 15 series, along with Apple Watch Series 6 and other high-end foreign-brand watches. These items were confiscated between 2019 and 2023 after being illegally brought into India.

Additional Commissioner of Customs, Sriram Bishnoi, said the e-auction will be conducted online, and a public display of the items is also being arranged at the airport.

Interested bidders can participate through the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTCL) platform. Registered individuals and organisations can bid online, while new users can register before the auction. The items have been divided into lots, and bidders must deposit an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) to participate.

Ahmedabad airport has witnessed repeated attempts by smuggling syndicates to bring in premium smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, and other gadgets via passengers. According to officials, electronic gadgets have become one of the most commonly smuggled items after gold and narcotics, with smugglers often attempting to evade duty by carrying multiple devices from destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. DeshGujarat