DRI seizes foreign currency worth Rs 1.56-cr at Hyderabad airport, arrests two
Hyderabad, Oct 24 (TNT): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized foreign currency worth Rs 1.56 crore from two passengers bound for Kuala Lumpur at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here and arrested both for allegedly carrying the currency without supporting documents, the Agency said on Saturday.
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted a male passenger scheduled to travel to Kuala Lumpur on AirAsia flight AK-68 on October 22.
A search of his trolley bag led to the recovery of USD 66,600, MYR 3,773 and SGD 2, collectively valued at approximately Rs 63.62 lakh, the agency said in a release.
The currencies were concealed in a black plastic cover among clothes.
During preliminary questioning, the officers learnt that a female passenger was also travelling on the same flight under a different passenger name record (PNR).
She was intercepted, and a search of her baggage resulted in the recovery of USD 97,600, valued at around Rs 91.94 lakh, concealed similarly among clothes.
As both passengers failed to produce documents supporting the lawful procurement and carriage of the foreign currency, the entire amount, along with the trolley bags used for concealment, was seized under the Customs Act, 1962.
Both passengers were arrested, and further investigation is underway, the DRI added.
TNT TS
