In Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), a visually impaired man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 3.44 crore from Dubai, said to the customs officials on Friday. The arrest, made by customs officials on March 4, came just a day after Kannada film actress Ranya Rao was apprehended for a similar offense involving gold smuggling.
Acting on specific intelligence, customs officers intercepted the man upon his arrival from Dubai. During a thorough search, officials reportedly discovered 3.995 kg of gold concealed under his shirt. The gold, valued at Rs 3,44,38,796, was seized, and a case under relevant smuggling laws has been registered.
Taking to X, Bengaluru Customs said, "On Basis of specific intelligence, Bengaluru Air Customs officers intercepted a Passenger (visually impaired) arrived from Dubai. 3995.22 gms of gold worth Rs. 3,44,38,796/- concealed under his shirt was seized and a smuggling case was booked."
The identity of the suspect has not yet been disclosed, and authorities are probing whether he was part of a larger smuggling network.
Ranya Rao Arrest
Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on Wednesday over allegations of gold smuggling.
The 31-year-old actress was taken into custody by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after arriving from Dubai. Authorities, who had been monitoring her frequent international travel, intercepted her. Later, they found out that the actor was allegedly attempting to smuggle 14.8 kg of gold into the country.
Officials discovered that she had hidden the gold in a specially designed belt wrapped around her body, along with 800 grams of gold jewelry concealed in her clothing.