Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Synthetic diamonds seized at sea port

— Photo: R. Ravindran

PRECIOUS HAUL: Commissioner of Customs C. Rajan looking at the Cubic Zirconia Stones (American diamonds) at the Customs House on Monday.

CHENNAI: Synthetic diamonds, popularly known as American diamonds, worth Rs.1.26 crore, sent as part of an unaccompanied baggage from Malaysia, were seized by officials of the Docks Intelligence Unit, Customs (Sea Port) here on Saturday.

The diamonds were found by the officials when they checked the carton boxes in a container at the Chennai port. The container was despatched from Port Klang, Malaysia, said C.Rajan, Commissioner of Customs (Sea Port).

The boxes also contained daily use items such as shampoo, soaps, food items, milk and biscuit tins. While checking them, the officials noticed that some of the biscuits tins were heavier and that aroused their suspicion. When one of the tins was opened it contained biscuits in two layers and below them lay the diamond concealed in packets, Mr Rajan said.

More than 300 carton boxes were then opened and checked by the authorities that led to the seizure of the semi-precious stones. “It took almost two days to complete the inventory work,” said Mr.Rajan.

Preliminary investigations with Kader Nainar Jumma Khan of Ilayangudi, in whose name the goods were booked from Malaysia, told Customs authorities that the consumer goods did not belong to him. While shifting from Malaysia, he had approached an agent to book his household articles, who could have done some mischief, Mr. Khan told the authorities.

Mr.Rajan said that in the recent past there were no records of smuggling of synthetic diamonds in this style. Similarly, there was no import of artificial diamonds through sea port, he added. Further investigation is on.

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