Surat/New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) A couple coming from Dubai were apprehended by the CISF and Customs at the Surat airport for allegedly smuggling in over 20 kg of gold paste by concealing it under their clothes, officials said.

The incident took place around 10 pm on July 20.

The couple were first noticed by a plainclothes official of the Central Industrial Security Force's (CISF) intelligence wing when they deboarded an Air India flight, the officials said.

"The duo, residents of Gujarat, caught the officer's attention due to their unusual walking pattern and slight bulges around their abdominal area, which did not match the natural body contour," a senior CISF officer said.

The security official alerted Customs authorities at the airport and the latter intercepted them. They conducted a thorough physical checking of the couple. While the man was dressed in a shirt and trousers, the woman was wearing a salwar suit.

The officer said, "A total of 28 kg of gold paste was found neatly strapped around their midsections and upper torsos -- 16 kg on the woman and 12 kg on the man." Based on concentration levels of the paste, officials estimate the pure gold yield to be over 20 kg, he said.

"This is likely the biggest gold haul in the history of Surat airport," said another official who is investigating the case.

The operation highlights the vital role of "behavioural profiling and the strong synergy" between CISF and Customs, the officer said. PTI NES DIV DIV

Gold smuggling detection: behavioural profiling led to interception and seizure of concealed gold paste at an international airport. A couple arriving from Dubai were intercepted after a security officer observed atypical gait and abdominal bulges; Customs physical searches found 28 kg of gold paste strapped to their midsections and torsos with an estimated pure gold yield exceeding 20 kg, demonstrating concealment under clothing detected through behavioural profiling and interagency cooperation between airport security and Customs.