PRESS NOTE
MAJORSEIZURESATCHENNAIAIRPORT
Officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of ChennaiAirport while maintaining strict vigil on the passengers arriving from sensitive airports have booked the following cases in April, 2011.
On 23.04.2011, while keeping watch over the postal parcels booked for export by Thai Airways flight No. TG 338, the officers noticed some parcels found to be evenly shaped and quite heavy. Upon examination, nine parcels were found to contain wooden logs painted with cheap floral designs. The contents of the parcels were described as “Poovannam”. All the nine parcels were sent by one Saranathan of Palawakkam to the same address at Bangkok. Initial examination of these wooden logs totally weighing 56 kgs has shown that they belong to the prohibited red sanders species. Samples of these wooden logs have been sent for lab analysis. The address of the sender has been verified and found to be fictitious. The nine parcels have been detained for further investigation.
On 28.04.2011, while keeping surveillance over the passengers who had arrived from Singapore via Colombo by Srilankan Airlines Flight No.UL 121, the Officers intercepted a passenger Shri Farook Kalanthar Saddiq holder of Indian Passport on a reasonable suspicion that he might be carrying gold or other contraband in his body. Interrogation of the passenger resulted in the recovery of 213 gm of gold jewellery which he had concealed in his rectum and also 60 gm of gold jewellery from his pant packet and thus totally 273 gm of gold jewellery valued at Rs.5,56,920/- was seized from his as he had attempted to smuggle the same by way of ingenious concealment and non-declaration to Customs. Shri Farook Kalanthar Saddiq was arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
During this month, six cases involving seizure of ornamental fishes totally valued at Rs.1.75 lakhs, which were attempted to be smuggled into India from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, without proper licence as required under the Livestock (Importation) Amendment Act, 2001. The passengers who brought the fishes have been penalized under the Customs Act, and the fishes were re-exported to the country of origin.
Some of the baggage that had arrived as mishandled baggage and suspected to contain contraband or costly electronic goods, were taken up for examination and branded digital projectors worth Rs.2.18 lakhs were seized from four of such baggage. Investigation into the passengers who had intentionally not come forward to clear the baggage is being initiated and the offenders would be brought into book.
(R. PERIASAMI)
COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS
(AIRPORT)