The Customs Department’s Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) in India apprehended three Kenyan women at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday for allegedly smuggling gold.
According to The Hindustan Times, AIU officials set up a trap at the airport and intercepted Samira Mohamed Abdi, Feiza Abdi Dekh Hassan, and Fardowsa Ahmed Abdi upon their arrival at CSMI airport on Saturday.
They arrived in Mumbai from Addis Ababa via Ethiopian Airlines.
All three approached the customs Red Channel, asserting their intention to declare gold items. They collectively declared 2.540 kg of gold. However, upon inspection, officials discovered that the actual weight of the gold was 3.018 kilograms, indicating misdeclaration.
During a search, officials also found 11 gold bars concealed in Samira’s undergarments.
Hassan and Abdi reportedly confessed during interrogation that they had entrusted the gold bars to Samira for concealment. They were allegedly smuggling 22 KT gold melted bars totaling 4,483 grams, collectively valued at ₹2.60 crore (Kes.40 million).
“The passengers admitted that the gold belonged to them and they had purchased the said gold from one Ahmed who is residing at Eastleigh, Nairobi on credit and that they were supposed to sell the gold in the local market in India and the profits from the same they were supposed to take back to Nairobi,” AIU stated.
