Smugglers travelling from Dubai hide gold in orange Tang drink containers

Customs officials in Chennai intercept package worth Dh600,000

Authorities in Chennai, India, intercepted 2.5kg of gold granules worth Dh600,000 ($163,345) hidden in four containers of Tang instant orange drink on Monday. Courtesy: Chennai Customs

The gold granules, pictured in foreground, were hidden in the drink powder and the canisters send by air freight from Dubai to Chennai. Courtesy: Chennai Customs

On Sunday, customs officials in Chennai discovered 251g of gold worth Dh60,000 hidden inside a small cordless vacuum cleaner. Courtesy: Chennai Customs

A passenger had brought the appliance on to a flight from Dubai. Duty should be paid on larger quantities of gold taken into India. Courtesy: Chennai Customs

Brazen attempts to smuggle gold on flights from Dubai continue to be foiled by customs officials.

Authorities in Chennai, India, intercepted 2.5kg of gold granules hidden in four containers of instant orange drink Tang on Monday.

The haul was worth an estimated Dh600,000 ($163,345) and arrived in a postal parcel delivered on air freight.

On the same day, Chennai customs recovered bundles of gold paste worth an estimated Dh200,000.

The package was concealed in the underwear of a passenger arriving on an Air India morning flight from Dubai.

Just 24 hours earlier, the same customs authority found 251 grams of gold with a value of around Dh60,000 hidden in a vacuum cleaner.

A passenger had taken the appliance on a flight from Dubai in the hope of evading import duties.

No taxes are paid when gold is exported from the UAE, but passengers travelling with gold to India are required to declare larger volumes.

Male passengers can bring in up to 20 grams of gold worth 50,000 rupees  ($688) duty free, while women are allowed 40 grams.

Larger quantities must be declared at customs and import duty fees equivalent to 10.75 per cent of the gold's value paid to the Indian government.