Panaji:
The customs department arrested a passenger from Chennai in Panaji today, for allegedly trying to smuggle gold into the country by hiding it in his rectum.
The person, whose identity has not been disclosed, was arrested at the newly-built Goa airport terminal, after he arrived on an Air India flight from Mumbai today morning.
During interrogation, the accused claimed that he came to Goa to trade in areca nuts with five-star hotels, but drew a blank when he was asked to name the hotels.
A physical search yielded six bars of 100 grams gold valued at Rs 17,13,400 in the domestic market.
Further interrogations would reveal who had provided him with the gold bars, a senior official said.