Gold worth Rs 81.4 lakh (USD 110,345) weighing 1.62 kg (3.57 lbs) and foreign currency worth Rs 6.6 lakh (USD 8947) was seized from six passengers at a south Indian airport in Tamil Nadu on December 5.

The incident took place at Chennai International Airport.

Visuals show gold paste bundles being recovered from a pair of jeans along with bundles of foreign currency being extricated from a backpack.

On December 5, Zahir Hussain aged 40 who was to board an IndiGo flight (6E-65) to Dubai was intercepted at the departure terminal on suspicion of carrying undeclared foreign currency. On examination, euro notes to the tune of 7,500 were recovered from him in denominations of 50. The currency was seized under the Customs Act, 1962.

Mohamed Idrish aged 25, Mohamed Irfan aged 36, and Liyakath Ali aged 36 who arrived in a FlyDubai flight FZ8517 were intercepted and searched. Seven bundles of gold weighing 1.52 kg (3.35 lbs) were recovered from their rectums. On extraction, 1.33 kg (2.93 lbs) of gold valued at Rs 67.1 lakh (USD 90967) was recovered and seized. Out of the three, Idrish has been arrested.

In a separate incident, Abubackar Sithik aged 21 and Syed Abuthahir aged 21 who arrived at Chennai in an Air India Express Flight IX 1644 were intercepted and searched. Four gold paste strips weighing 341 grams (0.75 lbs) were found ingeniously stitched to the hem of their jeans. Upon extraction, 285 (0.62 lbs) grams of gold worth Rs 14.3 lakh (USD 19381) was recovered and seized.