Foreign currency worth Rs 71 lakh seized from passenger at Mumbai Airport

CISF officials discovered the currency during the pre-embarkation security check from the hand baggage of Hong Kong-bound passenger Ativ Paresh Mehta

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Saturday confiscated foreign currency worth approximately Rs 71 lakh from a passenger at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport.

The currency, USD 99,550 (roughly Rs 71 lakh), was seized from the passenger’s hand luggage during the pre-embarkation security check at the international security hold area of Terminal 2.

The Indian passenger, later identified as Ativ Paresh Mehta, was bound for Hong Kong by a Cathay Pacific flight.

When officials asked Mehta about travelling with such large amount of cash, he could not provide any satisfactory answer. He was subsequently taken into custody for further investigation and the cash was seized.

The case has been handed over to Customs officials for further investigation.