A smuggler was caught trying to sneak almost $65,000 (£50,000) in cash stored in peanuts and biscuit packets out of an airport in Delhi, India.

An official from Indira Gandhi International Airport spotted the concealed foreign currencies after a man went through screening trying to fly to Dubai.

According to local media, authorities intercepted Murad Ali, 25, due to his “suspicious” behaviour at Terminal 3 to board an Air India flight to Dubai.

The footage, filmed by the authorities on February 11, shows officials opening the biscuit packets and finding rolls of cash stored away. Banknotes were also folded and stored inside peanut shells.

“On physical checking of the passenger’s baggage, a high volume of foreign currency was found concealed in cooked mutton pieces, peanuts, biscuit packets and other eatables,” local media quoted Central Industrial Security Force spokesman Assistant Inspector General Hemendra Singh as saying.

The total value of the cash was around 45 lakh INR and has been handed over to customs.

Airport authorities have come across bizarre tactics used by passengers for smuggling in the past, but CISF on Wednesday, February 12, was left shocked and surprised after they intercepted a person at the Delhi International airport and extracted $ 63K foreign currency.

The security personnel recovered foreign currency stuffed inside eatables. A widely circulated video of the interception shows the security personnel cracking peanuts, unzipping sealed biscuit packets and digging into oily meat pieces.

Security personnel extracted Saudi Riyal, Qatari Riyal, Kuwaiti Dinar, Omani Riyal and Euro concealed inside eatables. Accused Murad Alam is an Indian who was coming from Dubai, X-ray checking found the eatable items suspected in his bag, after which he was searched. According to reports, the passenger has been handed over to the customs officials.


Foreign currency denominations are below:

Saudi riyal 500×445 = 2,22,500,

Qatar riyal 100×15= 1,500,

Kuwait Dinar 20×06= 1,200,

Omani riyal 05×06= 300

Euro 50×36= 1,800