Chennai International Airport customs officials have dismantled a syndicate smuggling 267 kg of gold from Sri Lanka, valued at INR 1,670 million, over the past two months.

Acting on an intelligence tip-off, the operation led to the arrest of a shop-owner and his staff, all allegedly part of the syndicate. Principal Commissioner R. Srinivasa Naik revealed that the investigation started when customs officials flagged a sales executive at the Airhub shop for suspicious behavior. A personal search uncovered three bundles of gold concealed on his body, which he reportedly received from a transit passenger.

Further investigation uncovered that the smugglers, all from Sri Lanka, had rented the Airhub shop and employed eight individuals to receive contraband from transit passengers. ‘‘Using this modus operandi, they managed to smuggle 267 kg of gold over two months,’’ stated the official release.

The Sri Lankan national, the shop-owner, and staff members have been arrested and placed in judicial custody as the investigation continues.