Tamil Nadu Expensive watches seized
CHENNAI: A diamond-studded hand-made watch and an18-carat rose gold rotor watch, both Swiss-made, were seized by Customs officials at the Anna international terminal on Wednesday.
C. Rajan, Commissioner of Customs (Airport), said the officers intercepted Sujath Ali, 52, who arrived from Singapore. When they checked the contents of his baggage they found a diamond-studded wrist watch, de-GRISOGONO. The passenger was wearing another watch, Ulysse Nardin Blue Surf Limited Edition.
undeclared: The watches seized from a passenger at the Anna international terminal on Wednesday.
The watch had a polished white gold case with 405 white diamonds studded all over it, with sapphire crystal at the back and a black diamond crown.
The dial alone was studded with 312 white diamonds, with dual time zones.
The value was Rs. 28 lakh. Its strap was made of shark fin, which alone cost Rs. 20,000. The watch the passenger was wearing was estimated to cost Rs. 8 lakh.
Since the passenger did not declare the two watches and tried to walk through the green channel, the authorities seized the watches. He was arrested, Mr. Rajan said.
The Customs officials intercepted a Kuala Lumpur-bound passenger, Kasim Jaffar, 50, of Ramanathapuram district, on Tuesday.
Star tortoises seized
After he completed check-in, Immigration and Customs formalities and was on his way to security check, the Customs officials, on suspicion, brought back the checked-in baggage. They found the security strap on the stroller suitcase tampered with. A check revealed the presence of 909 live star tortoises, which were seized. He was arrested.
This year, the Customs officials have seized 3,223 star tortoises.
