MUMBAI: Customs officials arrested a woman passenger who had concealed 2.14 kg gold jewellery in her underwear at the international airport on Friday. She had worn six pairs of underwear to hide the gold valued at Rs 54.2 lakh.

The passenger, Jama Dabir, a Kenyan national arrived from Nairobi and was stopped by the customs on suspicion. "We do passenger profiling based on certain parameters and picked on her. Our lady officers noticed that she was finding it difficult to walk indicating something amiss," an official said.

Dabir had wrapped the gold jewellery in a plastic bag and concealed it between legs. "The six sets of underwear provided support to jewellery," the official added. This was Dabir's third visit to India and she was supposed to hand over the jewellery to someone. Customs officials said they believe she had smuggled in gold during her previous visits too. "She has not admitted to it," the official said.

Dabir had planned to buy expensive embroidered garments from the sale proceeds and sell in her hometown. Dabir was released on bail of Rs 1 lakh and officials have seized her passport. She will have to face a criminal trial and the department will also issue a show cause notice for smuggling gold. She will end up paying duty evaded, penalty and fine.

In August last, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had arrested Vihari Poddar after she smuggled in diamond jewellery worth Rs 2.45 crore in her inner wear. She owned a jewellery firm in Singapore and was smuggling in the diamonds to be sold through the shops owned by her uncle here.