50 lakh worth of iPhone 7s, gold seized

HYDERABAD: Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the customs department has taken in a smuggler for interrogation from the RGI Airport on Thursday and seized Rs 50 lakh worth iPhone 7s, gold and other valuables. Apple is yet to launch iPhone 7 in the Indian market and the offender probably wanted to sell the phones at a premium in the country.
The smuggler flew in from Dubai by an Air India flight (AI 952) during the wee hours of Thursday.The AIU sleuths intercepted the offender when he opted for the 'green channel' at the customs check area and recovered 661 grams of gold, 5.2 kilos of saffron (Iranian origin), 24 iPhone 7 pieces, four iPad pros, eight iPhone 7 battery cases, 30 pieces of iPod touch, 2,880 foreign manufactured cigarettes and 700 RMD brand gutkha sachets. The smuggler was arrested under the Customs Act.
On interrogation, the culprit, who claims to be a trader from Mumbai, revealed that he brought the Apple products, mainly the iPhone 7s along with iPhone 7 battery cases to encash on the local demand in Mumbai, by selling them at a premium as the products are yet to be launched in India by Apple.