The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized foreign currency worth ₹1.56 crore at Hyderabad airport and arrested two passengers. Both are Indian nationals.
The two passengers were travelling to Kuala Lumpur on AirAsia flight AK-68. DRI officers intercepted them and found USD 1,64,200, MYR 3,773 and SGD 2 hidden among clothes in their trolley bags.
Officers first stopped a male passenger who was carrying currency worth ₹63.62 lakh. He then led the DRI team to a woman travelling on the same flight under a different PNR.
The woman was carrying USD 97,600, valued at ₹91.94 lakh. Officers recovered the money from her baggage.
Neither passenger could produce documents to show that the currency was lawfully procured or that they could lawfully carry it out of the country.
The DRI seized the foreign currency and the trolley bags under the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is underway.
