Mumbai, February 12 The Customs department has seized antique gold and silver coins from a passenger who arrived at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) from London, officials said on Thursday.
The seized items include a 12.37-gram gold mohur from the East India Company's Bengal Presidency (Murshidabad Mint, in the name of Shah Alam II, AH 1202/RY 19), a 8-gram gold dinar from the ancient Kushan Empire (Huvishka), and an 11.44-gram silver rupee from the Mughal era (Jahangir, Zodiac Sign Cancer, Ahmadabad Mint), an official said.
"The antique gold and silver coins were being smuggled by concealing them inside the passenger's trolley bag. The Mumbai Customs' Airport Commissionerate conducted an operation on February 10, and the passenger was intercepted based on suspicion. He had arrived from London on board a Virgin Atlantic Airlines flight that landed on February 9," he said.
The coins were being smuggled in a novel manner, and further investigations are underway to ascertain this network and the passenger's links, the official said.
"The market value of the seized coins is being assessed. Legal action under the Customs Act has been initiated against the passenger," he said.