SIA steward arrested in New Delhi for allegedly smuggling gold
A Singapore Airlines (SIA) cabin crew member has been arrested in India for allegedly smuggling gold.
The senior steward, believed to be Singaporean, was arrested by Indian Customs officers on Monday at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
An SIA spokesman, who confirmed the news, told The Straits Times: "SIA confirms that a member of its cabin crew operating on SIA Flight SQ402 on Jan 22 was detained by Delhi Customs authorities.
"SIA will provide full cooperation to the investigating authorities.
"We are unable to provide details of the crew member concerned due to confidential reasons."
The airport's Joint Commissioner of Customs Anubha Singh told Indian media that officers intercepted the SIA steward, who had arrived from Singapore.
"We searched him and recovered 1,048g of gold," he said.
Initial investigations revealed that the crew member had intended to hand over the gold, worth about $65,000, to an agent at a prominent hotel in Delhi.
"He would get $500 for this," a senior official said, adding that the steward had worn the gold items - a chain and a bangle - under his uniform.
He is believed to have committed a similar offence on Jan 8 but was not caught then, the Indian Express reported. - KARAMJIT KAUR
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