Customs officials seize seven expensive watches worth Rs 28 cr at Delhi airport

NEW DELHI, (ANI): The Delhi customs have seized seven expensive watches worth around Rs 28 crore from a passenger at Indira Gandhi International Airport, said a senior Customs official on Thursday.

In a statement, Delhi Customs informed that on the basis of Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) Profiling, the officers of Airport Customs at IGI Airport in New Delhi have booked a case of smuggling of seven highly precious wrist watches out of which one is extraordinarily exorbitant, customised billionaire piece made of gold and studded with diamonds, one diamond studded gold bracelet and one i-phone 14 Pro on October 4, against one Indian national passenger who arrived at T-3, IGI Airport, New Delhi by Flight No. EK 516 from Dubai.

The detailed examination of the baggage and personal search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of seven wristwatches: Jacob and Co (model: BL115.30a), Piaget Limelight Stella (SI.No. 1250352 P11179), the Rolex Oyster perpetual date just (Sl. No. Z7J 12418), the Rolex Oyster perpetual date just (SI. No. 0C46G2 17), the Rolex Oyster perpetual date just (SI. No. ZV655573), the Rolex Oyster perpetual date just (Sl. No. 237Q 5385), the Rolex Oyster perpetual date just (Sl. No. 86 1R9269), one diamond studded gold bracelet and one i-Phone 14 Pro 256 GB having a total value of Rs. 28,17,97,864.

The said recovered goods have been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962.

The passenger has been placed under arrest in terms of Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962 as the offence being non-bailable committed by him is covered under 135 of the Customs Act, 1962.

Chief Commissioner, Delhi Customs Zone Surjit Bhujabal said, “Alert customs officers at Delhi Airport have made this possible in spite of having such high passenger traffic.

Indian Customs have always ensured maximum facilitation with minimal disturbance to genuine passengers simultaneously ensuring the safeguard of economic frontiers by curbing smuggling”.

Commissioner Airport Delhi Customs Zubair Riaz Kamili said, “In commercial/ luxury goods, it is the biggest seizure in value terms at the IGI Airport in one go. In value terms, it is equivalent to seizing around 60 kg of gold in one instance”. (ANI)