Rs 28 crore worth luxury watches seized at Delhi airport

The Customs Department has seized seven luxury watches worth around Rs 28 crore that were being smuggled by an Indian passenger at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to an official statement.

One of the watches, made by American jeweller and watchmaker Jacob & Co., “is an extraordinarily exorbitant, customised billionaire piece made of gold and studded with diamonds”, customs officials said. This watch is alone reported to be worth Rs 27 crore. The seizure was made on Tuesday after the passenger on a flight from Dubai. He has been arrested.

“In commercial or luxury goods, it is the biggest seizure in value terms at the IGI Airport in one go. In value terms, it is equivalent to seizing around 60 kg of gold in one instance,” Commissioner Airport Delhi Customs Zubair Riaz Kamili said.

In a statement, Delhi Customs informed that a case of smuggling of seven highly precious wristwatches out of which one is an extraordinarily exorbitant, customised billionaire piece made of gold and studded with diamonds, a diamond studded gold bracelet and one i-phone 14 Pro was filed against one Indian national passenger who arrived IGI Airport, New Delhi from Dubai.

The detailed examination of the baggage and personal search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of seven wristwatches: Jacob and Co (model: BL115.30a), Piaget Limelight Stella, four Rolex Oyster perpetual dates, one diamond studded gold bracelet and one i-Phone 14 Pro 256 GB having a total value of Rs. 28,17,97,864, according to the official statement.