Coimbatore : Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials have seized 2.6 kg of gold worth Rs.1.15 crore from a couple landed from Dubai here, smuggled in a novel way.

Based on specific tip off, the officials, led by Deputy Director G Sathish kept strict vigil on the passengers coming from Dubai by special Vandhe Bharat mission flights.

The officials, a couple of week ago, had identified the couple, hailing from Palladam in Tirupur district, who came out of the green channel after completing all the formalities, an official release said Wednesday.

The couple had gone to Dubai some three months ago and returned two weeks ago and on inquiry at arrival, they denied of carrying any gold articles.

As the couple were found nervous and unconvincing with their answers, both were isolated and subjected to individual search, as per the Covid-19 guidelines.

The officials recovered a few packets stitched on to the inner garments of the couple and was found them contained gold in paste form, weighing 2.61 kg valued at Rs.1.15 crore, the release said.

“Carrying gold in ‘paste form’ is the new way adopted by smugglers to dodge metal detectors and X-ray machines installed at various international airports, and the gold paste is difficult to detect once it is covered with some chemicals,” the release said.

As the couple were under quarantine for 14 days, as they were returning from Dubai and were summoned on Tuesday and arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.

Further investigation is on to identify the mastermind behind the smuggling