Man held after Dh500,000 of gold found in leather belt on Dubai flight

Delhi airport customs intercept passenger on his arrival from the Emirates

Gold chain was wrapped inside a leather belt in a bid to evade detection, customs officials said. Photo: Delhi Customs

Gold worth more than Dh495,000 ($134,760) has allegedly been found hidden in the belt of a passenger travelling from Dubai to India.

Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport said they made the discovery after inspecting a passenger arriving in New Delhi on Saturday, January 8.

The passenger was arrested after 2.3 kilograms of gold chain was allegedly discovered hidden under a leather belt.

The route from Dubai to India was a popular one for smugglers in 2021, with hidden gold recovered from passengers on dozens of occasions.

Although carrying gold on to flights is not illegal, passengers must declare the quantity they are importing or exporting to and from India and have the correct documentation.

Delhi airport officials intercepted a haul of cocaine hidden inside a passenger travelling via Dubai from Lagos, Nigeria, two weeks ago.

The man had ingested 992 grams of cocaine inside pellets, with a street value of an estimated $60,000 (Dh220,000), and was arrested shortly after arriving in India on December 25.

Brazen smuggling attempts: in pictures