Foreign currency worth 25 lakh seized at Mangaluru Airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence sleuths on Friday arrested a passenger at the International Airport for attempting to smuggle foreign currency worth Rs 25 lakh to Dubai.

Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials arrested a passenger identified as Mohammed Farooque, while he was waiting to board a flight to Dubai, after having completed all formalities, an MIA release said.

The foreign currency was found concealed inside biscuit and confectionery packets in his luggage.

Assorted foreign currencies comprising US dollars, British pound, euros, UAE dirhams, Saudi riyals and Qatari riyals, totalling 25,07,162 in Indian rupee value were recovered, it said.

The currencies were seized under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 read with FEMA rules and RBI guidelines issued in this regard, the release added.

The DRI stated that it was hopeful of getting a breakthrough with regard to unauthorised currency dealers and hawala operators in the course of the investigation.