Officials at the Kannur airport in Kerala on Monday seized 302 grams of gold. The Air Intelligence Unit and the Customs department seized gold worth Rs 14 lakh at the airport from a passenger who had managed to hide the gold in a rather novel manner.
According to a tweet by the news agency ANI, contrary to the usual jewellery or biscuit forms that the precious metal is smuggled in, this time around, it was in paste form. The accused was attempting to smuggle the gold as a paste that was hidden between the layers of the pair of pants that the passenger was wearing.
Also read: Five held with drugs in Kochi
The image shared by the news agency features the double-layered pants in question that have been cut up to reveal the said gold paste. The image shows the yellow, gold paste spread all along the length of the pants.
According to ANI, the Customs Preventive Unit in Kochi said, “Air Intelligence Unit at Kannur airport has seized 302 grams of gold in the form of a very thin paste, concealed within the double-layered pants worn by a passenger.”
Meanwhile, social media users were taken aback by the sheer ingenuity showcased by the alleged smuggler in the case. “What a technique!” said one shocked user.
Also read: Man held at Amritsar airport for smuggling gold paste in underwear
“When I grow up I want to be a customs officer in Kerala,” another user said.
“Like the whole pant won’t go off when they pass the metal detector. Gold is a metal, passing through any metal detector in any form will make it go off!” one user said, arguing the logic behind such a move.
Gold smuggling cases and techniques are nothing new in India. Recently, a man who had arrived from Sharjah in Amritsar, was arrested at the airport for trying to smuggle in 1,894 grams of gold paste by hiding it in his underwear.