As many as 19 gold biscuits of foreign origin estimated to be valued at Rs 1.99 crore have been seized by customs officials in Manipur’s Imphal airport, officials said on Monday. Two people, including a coach driver of IndiGo Airlines and a passenger, were arrested with the smuggled biscuits.
The arrested persons have been identified as Maibam Priyobrata Singh (32) and A Minaketan Sharma (28).
According to an official statement, the anti-smuggling unit of Customs Division, acting on reliable information, apprehended the suspects at the Departure Terminal of Imphal International Airport.
“Acting on a reliable source of information, officers of the anti-smuggling unit, Customs Division Imphal, went to the Departure Terminal of Imphal airport wherein the security staff of Indigo airlines detained one passenger and one coach driver of Indigo airlines with some unknown illegal item,” the statement said.
Initially, 10 gold biscuits were found, and later, nine more were recovered through follow-up investigation and interrogation.
The seized gold biscuits, weighing 3.155 kg, were confiscated at the Customs Divisional office in Imphal. Customs officials reported that the total value of the contraband gold biscuits is estimated at Rs 1,99,20,644 based on Sunday’s market rate.
The accused have been arrested under the relevant sections of the Customs Act, 1962.
Further investigations into the matter are underway.