Youth arrested at Ahmedabad airport for concealing gold capsules worth ₹21L in stomach

A new case of gold smuggling has come to light at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs Department seized gold worth lakhs of rupees from the stomach of an Indian passenger who arrived from Abu Dhabi, exposing a suspected smuggling racket.

According to details, on Thursday, customs officials grew suspicious of a passenger named Shah Rukh who arrived in Ahmedabad from Abu Dhabi on Air Arabia flight number 3L 111. Acting on specific intelligence received through APIS profiling, officials detained him for questioning. After initially giving evasive responses, the passenger reportedly confessed during interrogation that he had swallowed gold capsules and concealed them inside his body.

Following the confession, the Customs Department obtained the necessary permission from the Chief Judicial Magistrate. The passenger was then admitted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for medical examination. X-ray reports confirmed the presence of suspicious objects in his stomach. Under medical supervision, a total of four suspicious pellets were recovered from his body.

Upon examination by a government valuer, it was found that three yellow cylindrical capsules contained 24-carat pure gold weighing a total of 135.200 grams. The fourth object was found to be an iron pellet. The market value of the seized gold has been estimated at approximately ₹21,89,564.

The gold has been seized under various sections of the Customs Act, 1962. The passenger, identified as Shah Rukh, has been arrested. The Air Intelligence Unit is continuing its investigation to determine whether a larger smuggling network is involved.