A passenger travelling from Maldives to Mumbai has been arrested by the Indian Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) for allegedly trying to smuggle gold worth MVR 1.7 million.

According to Indian media, Inamul Hassan, 24, from Karnataka has confessed to the crime.

The Free Press Journal quoted Indian customs officials as saying that Hassan was trying to smuggle the gold by hiding it in the toilet of the aircraft and he may have tried to smuggle it in collaboration with the airport staff.

“During interrogation, he confessed to concealing the gold in the lavatory of the aircraft,” a Customs source was quoted as saying.

Noting that he was cooperating with the investigation, Customs officials said he smuggled the gold for money and that efforts were underway to find accomplices.

India's Revenue Intelligence Directorate recently arrested passengers for trying to smuggle gold hidden in the waste cart of an aircraft.