A woman travelling from Dubai via IndiGo Airlines was intercepted at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPI) in Ahmedabad by the Customs Department for smuggling gold worth ₹34.73 lakh.

Initial investigations revealed that the woman was planning to smuggle it into Rajkot’s gold market.

Sources from Customs department informed that the woman hailing from Rajkot had concealed gold paste in her pyjama, valued at ₹34.73 lakh in the market. The Customs Department has seized 383 grams of 24-carat pure gold and has started a probe into the matter.

The Customs Department speculated that a new smuggling route may have been established from Dubai, as strict restrictions and heightened vigilance have been imposed on the Jeddah route to curb smuggling activities.

Officials have begun questioning the woman to determine the possible new smuggling route, how she obtained the gold in Dubai, and to whom she was supposed to deliver it in Rajkot.

Recently on Sunday night, Customs officials also intercepted two passengers arriving from Abu Dhabi and seized 3.05 kg of smuggled gold, cleverly hidden inside a pair of jeans in their luggage. The 24-carat gold, consisting of two gold bars and one gold coin, was valued at ₹2.80 crore.