In a significant bust, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit at an International Airport in southern India’s Tamil Nadu intercepted a male passenger arriving from Singapore with gold.

The incident took place at Tiruchirappalli Airport on July 5.

Visuals showed custom officials carefully measured the gold hidden inside the knee caps. The gold, which had been formed into a paste, was meticulously concealed under the knee caps worn by the passenger on his thighs. Using specialized tools, the officials extracted and weighed the gold to determine its exact quantity and value.

The contraband, weighing 1.605 kg, was found concealed in paste form under knee caps worn by the passenger.

The individual, who arrived on Scoot Airlines flight TR562, attempted to cross the green channel when he was apprehended. The Customs Department stated that further investigation is underway.

This incident is part of a series of recent gold smuggling attempts at Tiruchirappalli Airport. In May, three passengers were arrested with 96 gold rods worth Rs 16.17 lakh hidden in the screws of trolley bag wheels. Another incident in April saw officers seize 977 grams of gold, valued at Rs 70.58 lakh, concealed in the rectum of a passenger arriving from Dubai.

These repeated interceptions highlight the ongoing efforts of customs officials to curb gold smuggling at the airport.