Kolkata Airport News: CISF Foils Rs 1.14 Crore Currency Smuggling
Kolkata Airport News
Personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Kolkata airport stopped two passengers from smuggling foreign currency worth about Rs 1.14 crore to Bangkok. The money was in US dollars and was hidden in the false bottoms of their hand baggage. The incident took place on 19 October 2026 at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
At around 10.20 am, security screening was going on at the International Terminal Security Hold Area. A CISF screener noticed suspicious images in the X-ray scan of the hand baggage of two passengers. Both were scheduled to travel to Bangkok on Bhutan Airlines flight B3700. The bags were sent for a physical check.
During the physical examination, CISF personnel recovered USD 1,19,900 from the two bags. This is equal to about Rs 1,13,64,002. The money was hidden in false bottoms and wrapped in newspaper to avoid detection.
The CISF gave the following breakup:
- USD 74,900 was found in the hand baggage of one passenger.
- USD 45,000 was found in the bag of the other passenger.
After completing the required formalities, the CISF handed over both passengers and the recovered currency to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs for further action.
The passenger who carried most of the money was taken by the AIU to the District and Sessions Court for legal proceedings. The other passenger was released by Customs after a detention receipt was issued.
Smugglers often try to hide cash, gold or other banned items in bags with secret compartments. X-ray screening helps security staff spot objects and patterns that look unusual. In this case, the alertness of the CISF screener helped stop the attempt before the passengers boarded the flight.
Carrying large amounts of foreign currency out of the country without proper declaration or permission can lead to legal action. Passengers should always follow the rules on how much foreign currency they can carry and declare it where required.
Ajeet Yadav is an aviation enthusiast covering airline news, airports, aircraft, and industry developments through well-researched and reliable reporting.
