Team Herald
VASCO: Customs officials at Dabolim Airport on Monday morning nabbed a Karnataka native for trying to smuggle 4.5 kg of saffron worth approximately Rs 6.75 lakh in Goa from Dubai.
According to the information, the passenger arrived at 4 am from Dubai via Muscat by Oman Airways flight and opted to walk through green channel for his Customs clearance in his unsuccessful bid to smuggle Saffron in India.
“The passenger had opted for the green channel meant for the passengers who don’t have anything to declare. The search of the baggage of said passenger resulted in the seizure of 4.5 kg of saffron. We have seized the goods under the Customs Act. This is the second case within a week as the same modus operandi was detected earlier in the case of a Mumbai-based passenger who was apprehended with 10 kg of saffron. The total approximate value of both the consignments will be around Rs 30 lakh,” informed Additional Commissioner of Customs G B Santimano.
He further said, “We expect saffron detection to increase over the next few days as the commodity (saffron) used in making sweets, gains in value during the festive season. The department has valued a kg of saffron at around Rs 1.5 lakh but it is twice the value in the retail market. A kg of saffron in the retail market can cost around Rs 2.5-3 lakh depending on its purity and grade. For example the Spanish variety of saffron is more pure and therefore more expensive. Presently we are testing the grade of seized saffron. The seizure was made under the initiative, directions and overall guidance and supervision of R Manohar Commissioner of Customs,” he added.
