Date:07/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/07/stories/2008090760490300.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Foreign currency seized at airport

Staff Reporter

Madurai native was in possession of currency worth Rs.15.65 lakh

—Photo: S. Gopakumar

Rich haul: Assistant Commissioners of Customs G.A. Das and A. Gopakumar inspecting the foreign currency seized from the baggage of a passenger who arrived on an Indian flight from Maldives at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport on Saturday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Foreign currency worth Rs.15.65 lakh was seized by the sleuths of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Air Customs on Saturday evening from a passenger who arrived by Indian flight from Male at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

The foreign currency was seized from Muthu Mohammed who arrived in IC 964 flight around 3.30 p.m.

The accused was nabbed by the sleuths while he was walking out from customs enclosure without declaring the currency in his possession.

Dollar and Euro

The accused hails from Madurai in Tamil Nadu, according to Customs officials. The currency recovered from Muthu Mohammed includes U.S. Dollar, Euro and Maldivian Ruffiyya.

A team led by the Assistant Commissioners, Customs, G. A. Das and A. Gopakumar under the directive of Commissioner, Customs, J. P. Gregory carried out the operations.

The seizure was effected by the Intelligence Superintendent of the Air Customs, Sivaraja Panicker, Officers A. N. Sivan, S. Ranjith and, T. S. Sanjeev.