DRI seizes Rs 7 crore in foreign currency notes including `3.6 cr concealed in microwave oven
New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), in two separate operations carried out at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Terminal-3, New Delhi and Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, has seized USD 4,90,000 valued at Rs 3.59 crores, and USD/ Euro/ Saudi Riyals equivalent to Rs 3.50 crore, while this foreign currency was being smuggled out of India to Dubai and Singapore, respectively.
One national from Afghanistan and other from Singapore were arrested in these operations carried out on December 17-18 .
Bulk cash smuggling is being used to finance the smuggling of contraband goods such as narcotics drugs and gold into India. These seizures are part of DRI's continued check smuggling of foreign currency from India which in most cases is done as a mode of payment or to finance the smuggling of contraband.
"In an operation conducted on December 17 in New Delhi, officers of DRI intercepted one Afghanistan national who was about to board a flight from IGI, Terminal-3 to Dubai, UAE. Detailed search of the baggage of the passenger resulted in the recovery of US dollars concealed in the inside walls of a microwave oven, in the packaging of ceramic mugs and the inner lining of the checked-in suitcase,"said an official.
The accused had cleverly dismantled the microwave oven and concealed the foreign currency in the inner walls using black tape in order to avoid detection by custom authorities.
US Dollars were also concealed in the packaging of ceramic mugs in order to pass them off as packaging material during routine checks and in a specially made cavity in the stroller bag.
In another operation carried out at Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore, officers of DRI intercepted one Singapore national and recovered assorted foreign currencies like USD, Saudi Riyal and Euro of various denominations from his checked in baggage. The total worth of foreign currency in this case is about Rs 3.5 crore.
In the year 2018, Indian customs has arrested a total of 219 foreign nationals on charges of smuggling gold into India and foreign currency out of India.
Arrested individuals include foreign nationals from South Asia, East Asia, South-East Asia and also Africa.
