UAE: Passenger arrested at airport for possession of gold jewellery worth Dh430,000

Sharjah Airport Police have arrested a 35-year-old Asian for trying to smuggle out gold worth Dh430,000 by concealing it in his luggage.

Lt Colonel Matar Sultan Al Ketbi, head of the Airport Police Department, said that the officials at the baggage checking counter at Sharjah International Airport asked the passenger to open his hand luggage, after they got suspicious of his behaviour.

On inspection, the man was found to be carrying a large amount of gold jewellery without an invoice or papers proving that the jewellery belonged to him.

When airport authorities asked him about how he got to own such a huge amount of gold, the passenger looked confused and failed to provide a convincing answer. When the accused was asked to furnish an invoice for the jewellery, he remained silent.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he had found the gold hidden in a sandy area in the UAE, and decided to keep it without informing authorities.

Lt Colonel Al Ketbi said the seizure revealed the specialised skills of the airport police force, and advised people to hand over such unaccounted property to the nearest police station.

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