Couple caught smuggling over 20 kg gold paste at Surat Airport

In a significant operation, a couple arriving from Dubai was apprehended by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Customs officials at Surat airport on Sunday night, July 20, for allegedly attempting to smuggle over 20 kilograms of pure gold in paste form. The duo, residents of Gujarat, had meticulously strapped a total of 28 kilograms of gold paste around their midsections and upper torsos, concealed beneath their clothing, in what is being described as potentially the biggest gold seizure in the airport's history.

The incident unfolded around 10 pm when a plainclothes official from the CISF's intelligence wing observed the couple exhibiting an "unusual walking pattern and slight bulges around their abdominal area" after they deboarded an Air India flight. This keen "behavioural profiling" prompted the security official to alert Customs authorities, who then intercepted the man and woman for a thorough physical search. The search revealed 16 kilograms of gold paste on the woman and 12 kilograms on the man.

Based on the concentration levels of the paste, officials estimate the pure gold yield to exceed 20 kilograms, with an estimated value running into several crores. The successful operation underscores the vital role of intelligence-led vigilance and the robust synergy between the CISF and Customs in thwarting sophisticated smuggling attempts. Authorities have initiated a deeper investigation to uncover the broader network behind this major gold haul, and the couple is expected to be produced in court as further legal proceedings commence.