The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized gold and iPhones worth nearly Rs 4 crore from three passengers who arrived at the Manohar International Airport in Goa from Abu Dhabi, an official said.

Passengers Irfan (30) from Uttar Pradesh, Kamran Ahmad (38) from Mumbai and Mohammad Irfan Ghulam (37) from Gujarat were intercepted by the anti-smuggling agency at the airport in North Goa on October 20, a senior DRI official told PTI on Sunday.

During a search, 5.7 kg of gold in paste form and 28 high-end iPhone 15 Pro Max devices, collectively worth Rs 3.92 crore, were recovered from the trio, he said.

The accused were part of a syndicate operating between Mumbai and Dubai, the official said.

The passengers travelled to Abu Dhabi on October 12 from Mumbai and returned with the goods, which they were trying to sneak in, at the Goa airport.

While the iPhones were wrapped in packets kept in checked-in baggage, the gold paste was concealed in the waistband of two passengers, the official said.

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