Mangaluru: The officers of Customs at Mangalore International Airport have busted another modus operandi of gold smuggling and in two separate cases, seized gold weighing 699.900 grams totally valued at Rs 18 lakhs. 

In the first case, the officers seized gold in the form of two numbers of Ten Tola Gold Bars, totally weighing 233.300 grams and valued at Rs 6.20 lakh. The gold bars were secreted in the rectum by the passenger Azees Sulaiman (37) of Kasaragod, who arrived at Mangalore International Airport on November 21 by Air India Express flight from Dubai.

In a similar case on the same day and same flight, the officers seized gold in the form of a cylindrical rod shaped object, weighing 466.600 grams and valued at Rs 12.41 lakh.  The gold object was secreted in the rectum, by the passenger Abdul Hameed Muttathody (42) of Kasaragod.

Further investigation in both the cases is under progress, the press release stated.