Two Foreign Nationals Arrested At Mumbai Airport For Currency Smuggling

Mumbai, 10th July 2023: Custom Department arrested two foreign nationals from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport on Saturday on charges of smuggling foreign currency. The authorities confiscated American dollars amounting to more than Rs. 1 crore from the suspects, leading to the registration of a case under the Customs
Act.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Makoto Tani (47) and Gunyapunaisa Funaset (41). According to an official statement, a total of 1,415 USD notes with a denomination of 100 were seized from both individuals, with an estimated market value of Rs 1 crore, 15 lakh, and 39 thousand. The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs Department received a tip-off on Thursday regarding the illegal transportation of foreign currency by two foreigners on a Thai Airways flight bound for Bangkok. Acting swiftly, the officials set up a trap at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport.

As the movements of the two foreign nationals were found to be suspicious, the officials of the Customs Department searched them. During the search operation, suspects were found with this illicit money. When questioned, both individuals failed to provide any supporting documents to the Customs Department. Consequently, the officials seized the foreign currency and detained the suspects.

Following an interrogation, both individuals admitted to their involvement in smuggling foreign currency, leading to their arrest by
Customs officials on Saturday. Meanwhile, a case has been filed against both of them under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, in
addition to the Customs Act.