India, March 17 -- The Customs Department seized nearly 10.5kg of gold worth Rs.8.5 crore from four separate searches conducted over Friday and Saturday at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). Three airport private staff members were searched based on suspicion and later arrested for their alleged involvement in the smuggling.

The Customs had been keeping a close watch on airport staff members, and based on suspicion, one staff was intercepted, said an official. Upon searching him, they recovered six oval-shaped capsules of 24-carat gold dust in wax form from his pockets. The capsules, around 2.8 kg, were valued at Rs.2.28 crore.

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) laid a trap on Saturday and intercepted another privat...