Customs officials in India frequently catch passengers attempting to smuggle gold into the country without declaring it. EPA
Customs officials in India frequently catch passengers attempting to smuggle gold into the country without declaring it. EPA
Customs officials in India frequently catch passengers attempting to smuggle gold into the country without declaring it. EPA
Customs officials in India frequently catch passengers attempting to smuggle gold into the country without declaring it. EPA

Passenger arriving in Delhi from Riyadh caught with smuggled gold worth $87,000


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

A passenger who flew from Riyadh to New Delhi was caught trying to smuggle two gold rods in their hand luggage.

Authorities in the Indian capital intercepted the attempt to bring in two rods of gold weighing more than 1.4kg and worth $87,122 (Dh320,000)

The gold was “ingeniously concealed inside the check-in bag,” according to Delhi Airport Customs.

The passenger flew from the Saudi Arabian capital via Dubai on an Emirates flight on Tuesday.

Officials in the past discovered gold rods concealed in the metal frame of wheel-on cases.

In May, customs in Chennai foiled several attempts to smuggle gold on flights from Dubai.

In one attempt, 2.5kg of gold granules worth an estimated Dh600,000 were hidden in four containers of the instant orange drink, Tang.

They arrived in a postal parcel delivered via air freight.

On the same day, the authority recovered bundles of gold paste worth an estimated Dh200,000. The precious metal was hidden in a passenger's underwear.

A day earlier, authorities in Chennai found 251 grams of gold, worth Dh60,000, hidden in a vacuum cleaner on a flight from Dubai.

There is no limit on the amount of gold a person can export from the UAE, and there are no taxes to be paid when you leave the country.

Passengers arriving into India are not required to pay taxes on small volumes of gold.

But bigger quantities must be declared, with import duty fees equivalent to 10.75 per cent of the gold's value paid to the Indian government.

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

Most brazen smuggling attempts – in pictures

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Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
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  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

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Based: UAE 

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Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

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Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo

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Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,

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