Kolkata: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (NSCB) International Airport arrested two passengers and seized USD 1,55,000 valued at Rs 1.05 crore from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Mohammed Adil Ali and Shyam Singh. AIU officials intercepted them when they were scheduled to depart for Bangkok by a Bhutan Airlines flight at around 11.25 AM.
On examination, the dollars were found packed in cardboard boxes.
“They were intercepted based on specific information. Later, they were produced before a district court and remanded in police custody for further interrogation,” an AIU official said.
The accused used to import clothes and other items to Bangkok. It is being suspected that the two men were couriers and the money was being taken as part of a hawala racket.
The AIU officials expressed concern over the rise in smuggling of foreign currencies from NSCB International Airport to Bangkok in the recent past. They are suspecting that this could be an organised syndicate and trying to get in touch with their counterpart in Thailand.
On January 10 this year, two passengers were apprehended while trying to smuggle out 2,28,500 Euros concealed inside the soles of their sandals.
Again on May 15, 44,000 Euros were seized from another passenger who was trying to smuggle out the foreign currency in the form of rectal concealment.
In yet another incident on May 21, two passengers were apprehended while trying to smuggle out 55,000 Euros concealed inside pointed gourds.
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