Dubai jewellery shop employee nabbed by customs for smuggling in Ahmedabad

An employee of a jewellery shop in Dubai was caught by customs officers at the Ahmedabad airport for bringing in gold jewellery worth Rs42.3 lakh without paying the applicable customs duty.
According to officials, Shidapa Jia Ahmed Mohammed Hussain, hailing from Karnataka and presently holding a resident visa for Dubai, was caught by customs officers at the Ahmedabad airport on Wednesday.

Hussain, who arrived in Ahmedabad from Dubai via Sharjah in an Air Arabia flight, got himself cleared through customs, giving a 'nil' declaration and opting for a green channel.

However, customs officers got suspicious and apprehended Hussain. He was searched, which led to three paper-wrapped packets being recovered from inside his socks and trousers.

Officials said they found assorted gold chains, pendants, bracelets and earrings, weighing 2.81 kg and valued at Rs42.3 lakh, from the three packets that were seized. However, a search of his checked-in baggage and hand-baggage did not reveal anything incriminating.

Hussain, who was arrested on smuggling charges by customs officers, disclosed that he was employed with a jewellery shop in Dubai. He said that the jewellery was given to him by his employer, for handing over to a person he was to later meet in a lodge, in a city other than Ahmedabad. Hussain also said that he would have received approximately Rs6,300 from his employer for delivering the package.

Officials said that Hussain was produced before the court, and remanded in custody of the customs department for 14 days. Officials said they are trying to ascertain whom Hussain was supposed to deliver the jewellery to.