Passenger's Refusal For Refreshments in Flight Leads to His Arrest for Smuggling Gold Worth Rs 69L

New Delhi: A passenger on an Air India flight was arrested at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for smuggling gold worth Rs 69 lakhs.

The passenger was travelling via AI 992 from Jeddah to Delhi.

Suspicions arose after the passenger refused refreshments offered by the flight attendant on the five-and-a-half-hour flight. Following this unusual behaviour, the flyer deemed a flight attendant who informed the captain. The captain then alerted security agencies at the airport through Air Traffic Control about the suspicious behaviour.

Upon his arrival, the security officials closely monitored the passenger and he was stopped for questioning when he tried to pass through the green Customs Clearance Channel.

During the interrogation, the man admitted to concealing gold in his return worth over Rs 65 lakhs and hid it in four capsules.

Airport authorities then launched an investigation into the incident. Following this case, the cabin crew was also instructed to observe passengers who refused food and beverages on long flights suspecting that they might be smuggling gold internally.