Ahmedabad: A woman from Hyderabad was intercepted by Customs officials at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Tuesday after allegedly attempting to smuggle nearly ₹1 crore worth of undeclared gold into India.

The passenger had arrived from Abu Dhabi wearing multiple pieces of gold jewellery, including bangles, necklaces, chains, anklets, earrings and rings, concealed beneath her clothing. Additional ornaments were found hidden in her handbag.

According to the Customs department, officers from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) had identified the passenger through advance passenger profiling before her arrival. A detailed search led to the recovery of 710.9 grams of 22-carat gold and 18.1 grams of 18-carat gold ornaments, taking the total seizure to 729 grams.

The seized gold is valued at approximately ₹98.8 lakh, the department said in an official statement.

Customs officials reiterated that passengers arriving from Gulf countries must declare gold exceeding the permissible duty-free limit at the Red Channel, even if it is being worn as personal jewellery. The woman is being questioned to ascertain whether the gold was intended for personal use or if she was acting on behalf of a larger smuggling network. DeshGujarat