Mattannur: Gold smugglers continue to devise creative methods to evade detection at Kannur Airport. Authorities intercepted a unique attempt where gold, disguised as a passport, was seized from a passenger arriving from Sharjah here on Saturday.

Customs officials discovered 1,223 grams of gold alloy concealed within a polythene cover cleverly fashioned to resemble a passport. The contraband was hidden in the passenger's trousers. The seized gold, valued at Rs 87,32,220, belonged to Pratheesan, a resident of Padanna, Kasaragod.

This incident adds to a series of recent discoveries where smugglers have disguised gold as chocolate wrappers or layered it onto clothing, including painted-on pants. Each new method aims to outwit airport security but is promptly countered by vigilant customs authorities.

A case has been registered by Customs, initiating a thorough investigation into this smuggling attempt.

Earlier in the month of May, an Air India Express flight attendant was apprehended at Kannur International Airport on smuggling charges.

The arrested individual was identified as Surabhi Khatun, a native of Kolkata.

Back then, authorities had confiscated 960 grams of gold from Surabhi who had arrived in Kannur Airport in an Air India Express flight (IX714) from Muscat. The gold was reportedly found in compound form concealed in her rectum.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had announced a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

Surabhi was known to have been involved in gold smuggling for a long time. A detailed probe was conducted.