Air Customs officials seized gold, cigarettes, and drones worth Rs. 47.8 lakhs (USD 65,201) from southern India's Chennai International Airport on December 29. The suspects were intercepted at the terminal of the airport.

Visuals witnessing the smuggled items feature a strip of gold paste ingeniously sewed inside the underwear. A molten chunk of metal with two gold chains is also retrieved during the search. Three additional white bundles with smuggled items crammed inside them are also recovered. Along with that, four drones, 10 batteries, and 100 packs of cigarettes are also seized with other illicit assets.

As per the input, the accused identified as Karuppasamy and Sasikumar, arrived from Dubai by flight FZ 8517, were intercepted at the exit based on suspicion. On inspection, four drones and 10 batteries valued at Rs. 4.17 lakhs (USD 5,688) were seized, along with 100 cartons of Benson & Hedges cigarettes estimated at Rs. 2 lakhs (USD 2,728).

In a different case from the same flight, a 52-year-old identified as Sathakkathulla Mohammed Ismail from Ramanathapuram was intercepted at the exit. On further examination, one strip of gold paste weighing 150 grams (0.33 lbs) was recovered from inside his underwear, which yielded 130 grams (0.28 lbs) of gold. Two gold chains weighing 84 grams (0.185 lbs) were also retrieved from his pocket. A total of 214 grams of gold assessed at Rs.11 lakhs (USD 15,005) was seized from him.

In another case, a 25-year-old named Puviarasan arrived from Dubai by Emirates flight EK544 was intercepted. After a proper search, three bundles of gold paste was recovered from his rectum, which on extraction bore 593 grams (1.3 lbs) of gold valued at Rs. 30.63 (USD 41,784) lakhs.

A total of 807 grams (1.77 lbs) of gold was estimated at Rs. 41.63 lakhs (USD 56,789), while cigarettes and drones worth Rs. 6.17 lakhs (USD 8,418) were seized. Furthermore, an investigation into the matter is underway.