A man was arrested at the Kannur Airport in Kerala, India, this week when authorities reportedly discovered over two pounds of gold hidden inside his rectum.
Officials from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) removed the gold from the man’s hiding place and tweeted a photo of it on Tuesday, according to Fox News:
There is reportedly an 18 percent tax on gold in India, and the 972 grams the man attempted to bring into the country is worth around $60,000.
“However, that wasn’t the only smuggled gold on the flight from Dubai. According to another tweet, AIU officials also found just over 3 pounds (1,470 grams) of gold with another passenger,” the Fox article read:
On Friday, the agency said it also found gold hidden inside a toy microwave oven’s transformer and toy playhouse:
In late September, a passenger from the UAE reportedly tried to hide 40 grams of gold behind the exhalation valve of his N-95 mask and sneak it past officials at the Kozhikode international airport before being caught, according to the Hindustan Times.
“This is the first time we are coming across such a concealment tactic. It shows smugglers are out to exploit every situation whether it is pandemic or not. Usually we avoid masks and they were using this opportunity to smuggle,” a senior customs official told the outlet.
Following the discovery, passengers are now asked to deposit their masks in addition to their wallets, belts, and mobile phones for checking.
“The smuggled gold is worth Rs 2 lakh. We have detained him. It really shows the smugglers are making use of all opportunities,” the official continued.
Smugglers have also used date seeds, bra straps, belt buckles, shoe soles, sausages, and gold paste to bring gold into the country.
“For Customs officials it is a high-stakes hide-and-seek game every day. Last year in Kerala 550 kg gold seized from four international airports,” the Times article concluded.