Amritsar, September 19 – The Customs department at Shri Guru Ramdas International Airport have seized Foreign Currency worth INR 6.05 Crore.

Official stated that on the evening of September 18  during the course of security check of baggage of the outgoing international passengers by Airlines Staff on x-ray machine at International departure at SGRDJI Airport, Amritsar, some suspicious images in a bag were observed.

In an official statement here today informed that the Airlines staff subsequently alerted Customs officers on duty. Thereafter, Customs officers carried out profiling of the passenger and he was found to be suspicious. So the movement of the passenger was kept under observation.

The passenger, after handing over the suspected bag at the airline’s counter as check-in-baggage, proceeded for immigration check and got his passport stamped. Thereafter, the passenger was intercepted and asked whether he was carrying any excessive Indian or foreign currency with him, either in check-in-baggage or hand bag to which he replied in negative. However, his checked-in-bag, which was on Customs hold was called from the airlines and examination of the same resulted into recovery of 80 packets of foreign currency which was found concealed in specially made cavities. The recovered currency was

*USD- 755,700 ~ INR 5.95 Cr

Saudi Riyals-26500~INR 5.43 lakh

Rest Oman Rials and Kuwaiti Dinar~INR 4.5 lakh*

The passenger  could not produce any evidence for its lawful acquisition, possession and exportation. Accordingly, the Passenger was offloaded. Follow up searches were carried out at residence and shop involved. Two persons- passenger and his father, whom the passenger named as the person behind the operation, have been detained. Further investigation is in progress, said the official.